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What should be considered before investigating options for new flooring for our common space?

What kind of flooring should we buy for our common space?

How do we choose a good carpet for our common space?

You should first determine the needs of the area where the flooring will be installed. Will there be heavy traffic? Does the area get much moisture? Will it need a non-slippery surface? Does it need to deaden sounds? How much are you willing to spend?

In general, you have three options: Replacing, restoring, or covering the existing flooring.

Replacing: If the existing flooring is wood, tile, terazzo, or another permanent material, you may prefer to restore or cover it rather than replace it. However, in some cases, as in the case of severe water damage, you may need to replace the floor and the subfloor (the wooden base beneath the wood floor) as well. Replacing permanent materials is costly, messy, and time-consuming. However, if properly done, a new floor of these materials can last a lifetime.

Replacing other types of materials, such as linoleum, laminate, and carpeting is more straightforward. In most cases, it involves ripping up the old material and sanding or using solvent to make sure the surface flat. When installing runners, you may want to polish or restore the part of the floor that will be visible after removing the old floor.

Keep in mind that some old floors, for instance vinyl floors more than 25 years old, may contain asbestos and thus require a specialist for removal.

Restoring: Most types of floors can be restored. Wood floors are typically sanded and refinished, usually with three coats of polyurethane or a similar product. Keep in mind that in older buildings, a refinished floor may not look like new because water damage and deep gouges cannot be easily removed. In some cases, the floor installer may be able to replace those parts of the floor that are most severely damaged. Sanding a wood floor creates quite a mess, and you should discuss with the sander how best to prevent dust from getting into apartments and other areas. The contractor may elect to use tape so as to seal the spaces around doors and windows.

Terazzo and tile can be difficult to restore in part because of the challenge of matching the original look. For more information on restoring tile floors, refer to Preserving Historic Ceramic Tile Floors.

Other questions in this FAQ weigh the various options for covering an existing floor.

Apartment building entranceways and hallways often suffer a kind of traffic not seen in the home. The common areas need to be able to withstand whatever is tracked in by shoes and pets. In addition, people will sometimes drag heavy items, creating scuff marks and scratches. Like it or not, sometimes someone may spill something in the common area and not bother to clean it. The fact is, common areas are often not treated with much respect. Thus, when you’re thinking of redoing the common area floors, think durability. Durable does not only mean resistant to scratches and wear, it also means the surface can be cleaned frequently, resists staining, and is easy to repair. That said, you have several choices:

Linoleum. Linoleum flooring comes in sheets or tiles. It is a natural material made from linseed oil. It is considered environmentally friendly: It is made from natural materials and can be recycled. It resists static electricity, and is considered a good choice for people who suffer from allergies. In addition, linoleum is relatively durable (some say that it gets stronger with age), easy to maintain, and adheres directly to the subfloor. It comes in a range of styles and colors as well as a range of prices. It is also less expensive than many other types of flooring. According to the Green Resource Center, linoleum lasts up to 40 years, which is considerably longer than vinyl.

Some drawbacks include curling and blistering with moisture. Linoleum is relatively thin and will telegraph any bumps and irregularities of the subfloor below. If the subfloor is uneven, make sure the person laying the linoleum uses a floor leveler over the subloor prior to installation, doesn’t allow nail heads to pop out, and fills any dimples.

Vinyl. Vinyl flooring comes in sheets or tiles. It is the least expensive type of flooring, yet is reasonably durable, easy to maintain, and adheres directly to the subfloor. It comes in a range of styles and color, and is arguably the simplest type of flooring to install. (Peel and stick vinyl tiles are very easy to install.) Vinyl is water resistant, so it is a good choice for areas that may be subject to excess moisture, such as bathrooms and basements.

Some drawbacks include tearing and curling, expecially with lower cost vinyl. Like linoleum, vinyl is relatively thin and flexible and will telegraph any bumps and irregularities of the subfloor below. If the subfloor is uneven, make sure the person laying the linoleum uses a floor leveler over the subloor prior to installation.

Hardwood. Hardwood flooring comes in a range of grades, widths, thicknesses, and patterns. Many experts believe that hardwood floors increase the value of a premises. In addition, wood floors are easy to clean and maintain, and can be sanded to look like new. Hardwood floors are more expensive in material and installation costs than vinyl and linoleum floors; however, they will last much longer. Hardwood can be laid directly over the subfloor (usually with a layer of felt paper or resin paper between). Hardwood is a good choice for heavily trafficked areas and for stairs.

Because wood is susceptible to expansion and contraction as the weather changes, cracks and voids might develop over time. Hardwood floors should not be used in areas where there is a risk of water damage.

Laminate. Laminate flooring comes in a variety of colors and patterns. Some laminates look very much like hardwood. Laminate flooring is less likely to expand and contract because the thin top layer is backed by a laminated core that is not subject to expansion and contraction. Most laminate flooring is installed by way of a snapping, tongue and groove system that might or might not involve glue. Laminate flooring often “floats” on the subfloor, no nailing is required. It is possible to install radiant heat under a floating laminate floor. It is also a popular choice for do-it-yourselfers to cut down on installation costs.

The main drawbacks of laminate is that it is not easy to repair if damaged and cannot be easily refinished.

Ceramic tile. Tiles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and styles. Tiles can come glazed or unglazed. Glazed tiles withstand moisture and stains, and it better than unglazed tiles. They are easy to clean and are fade resistant. Ceramic tile requires significant subloor preparation. Ask the installer to use a tile backer board beneath the tile to ensure a solid and stable substrate for the tile. Depending on the size of the tile, uneven surfaces will cause the tile to crack or break. Like vinyl, tile is water resistant, so it is a good choice for areas that may be subject to excess moisture, such as bathrooms and basements.

The drawbacks to tile is that it does not deaden sounds (it often amplifies them) and it can be slippery when wet. In addition, many types of grouts stain easily and require upkeep. Lastly, tile can crack and is difficult to restore.

The density of carpet fibers determines the quality of the carpet. The more densely packed, the longer the carpet will last. For high traffic areas, consider wool or nylon carpeting. From a practical perspective, nylon is the best. It is usually treated to resist staining and static electricity. In addition, it is resilient and can take a lot of wear. Wool is generally the most expensive type of carpet, but like nylon, it resists wear and is usually treated to resist staining. Many wool carpets are also treated to prevent moths. Wool should not be used in areas where there is a lot of moisture. Because wool holds up to 10 times its weight in moisture, it is suspectible to shrinking, mold, and mildew.

Other types of carpet, such as polyester and olefin, may not be appropriate for heavily trafficked areas. Though fade and stain resistant, they do not wear well, and they lack resiliency, which means the carpet can look flat or crushed. One positive aspect of polyester carpet is that it is sometimes recycled from plastic bottles, making it environmentally friendly.

When choosing a carpet, insert your fingers into the pile. In general, the better the carpet, the tighter the pile. If you find it difficult to insert your fingers into the pile, it usually means you’re looking at a well-made carpet.