When it comes time to replace the flooring in the living room, dining room, or bedroom, the argument about hardwood floors vs. carpet is unavoidable because both forms of flooring have considerable advantages and disadvantages. Whether your objective is to update the property to increase its market value or simply change the elements to suit your own taste, you must consider the appearance, feel, maintenance requirements, and expense of carpet vs. hardwood.
Carpet vs. hardwood is a difficult choice because it is mostly determined by your personal preferences; nevertheless, if you take the time to properly study the differences between the two flooring options, it should become evident which product features are more significant for your home. To select the best choice for your next restoration job, compare the primary product benefits and drawbacks of each type of flooring.
The most noticeable distinction between carpet and hardwood flooring is the appearance and feel underfoot.
Before considering any of the pricing, insulation, or safety issues, it’s important to understand that the biggest distinctions between carpet and hardwood are the way they feel and look. Carpet comes in a wide selection of colors and textures, making it suitable for practically any home. While subdued tones may be your style, you can alternatively choose a vibrant, single-color carpet or a product with blended fibers that hide dirt and dust better. Another alternative is to use patterned or mosaic carpet as both flooring and a room focus. Carpet is also softer and more pleasant than hardwood, which is why carpet is more frequent in bedrooms and hardwood is less common.
The fundamental appeal of hardwood is its appearance. It is sturdy and feels firm underfoot. To locate the hardwood floor that best meets your needs, you can select from a wide range of wood tones, hues, and wood-grain patterns. While carpet is more pleasant, hardwood works better with a radiant floor heating system because it transfers heat more effectively. Carpet insulates the floor by acting as a barrier to heat transmission from the heating system. Installing a radiant floor heating system also aids in the elimination of cold hardwood floors.
Hardwood floors have a higher resale value.
If the purpose of upgrading the flooring is to boost the home’s resale value, the choice is apparent. Carpet feels nice underfoot and can act as sound and heat insulation, reducing heat loss in the colder months and preventing sound transmission through the floor. Carpet, on the other hand, is not the best option in terms of resale value.
Homes with hardwood flooring are more appealing to prospective home buyers and real estate brokers. While replacing new carpet would not reduce the appeal of the home, selling a home with old carpet will be more challenging. Meanwhile, a new hardwood floor enhances the home’s beauty and increases its market value. Despite the greater initial hardwood flooring expense, you may expect a 70 to 80 percent return on investment after installing a new hardwood floor.
Carpet is less expensive to install than hardwood.
Hardwood looks fantastic and is relatively simple to clean with a broom and a mop, but it is more expensive to install than carpet. Hardwood flooring costs between $6 to $12 per square foot, depending on the type of wood, color, wood grain, and quality. This indicates that the material to install a hardwood floor in a 144-square-foot room would cost between $864 and $1,728. The cost of hiring a professional to install the hardwood runs between $3 and $5 per square foot.
The cost of carpet and carpet installation are both less than the expense of sourcing and installing hardwood. Carpet costs about $2 to $7 per square foot on average, so a 144-square-foot room would cost between $288 and $1,008 to carpet. If you want a professional to install the carpet in your home, you should budget between $788 and $2,797. Just keep in mind that, while carpet has a cheaper initial cost, hardwood has a better resale value.