The average homeowner in 2018 is both eager to spend and eager save on home improvement projects. How so? Well homeowners are not willing to splurge yet they are interested in updating and do so while shopping for the greatest value.
Keyword… Value!
In 2018 the flooring products that are trending the most are the products that create the most value. Cheap does not mean value. Value means confidence or a peace of mind/comfort with the selected product. The economic status of the country is in a comfortable place where homeowners are willing to spend more, but only if they are confident in the quality/value of the material that they are selecting.
Thereby all three products on the trending list for 2018 aren’t necessarily the cheapest options… but they are the ones that are bringing in the greatest bang for the buck. Both in the durability/quality departments as well as looks.
Lets take a look at each material and see why it’s a hot trending product for 2018!
Carpet is still king!
Even with so much variety and options available in the flooring industry carpet still made up over 50% of all flooring sales in 2017! Carpet alone makes up half of the flooring industry. It is definitely not obsolete yet and is reigning over all.
But Why?
The unmatched comfort and good feeling that carpet provides is impossible to replace. No matter how much of a headache carpet can create while cleaning, we love it for it’s soft and warm qualities.
The rooms that we want to feel the most comfortable in deserve a material that will provide us with that comfort… currently only carpet achieves that.
In the last couple of years manufacturers have drastically increased the quality of the fibers and structure of carpets. As well as significantly improved the styling providing homeowners with thousands of new options that will match/compliment any design or look.
A decade ago consumers were running to escape from carpet by installing hardwood, laminate, or tile anywhere and everywhere to avoid the hassle of carpet cleaning and maintenance. However with more advanced technology carpets today are low maintenance and easy to clean.
Take a look at Stainmaster technology used in many carpet lines or Smart Strand Forever Clean from Mohawk flooring. These technologies are created to withstand even the toughest of stains by using a hydrophobic coating that repels liquid stains and keeps the carpet strands clean and as good as new. This doesn't mean that carpet shouldn’t be maintained and cleaned once in a while but it does mean that the process will be much simpler with stain resistant technologies.
Carpet can last for decades if taken care of… it’s definitely a product with great value. Providing a warm and cozy atmosphere for you to live in for a price most often way less than any other material.
LVT is… well popular
LVT is the abbreviation that stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile… although most LVT comes in a plank form (like a hardwood plank). It is a hard surface flooring material that has been growing in popularity the last decade or so and has become one of the go to materials for a large number of homeowners worldwide.
One of the biggest reasons this is a popular flooring material and has been for a few years in a row now is it’s unmatched durability. LVT is constructed from many layers, the surface being both water-resistant as well as extremely scratch resistant… which not a single other flooring material on the market can say.
Speaking in terms of “value” LVT provides the best. Costing just $3-$5 per square foot this material can be installed quickly and easily even over pre-existing flooring and last decades. Seriously, modern day LVT has 30 year residential warranties. Over the long run LVT will end up being one of the best investments a homeowner can make.
Cost and durability aren't the only deciding factors however. Design and looks is just as important if not more important. There are more looks and colors of LVT available than you can imagine and most are created to mimic real hardwood looks. Printing has gotten so good that it’s hard to distinguish real wood from LVT.
Engineered Hardwood is a classic
The last trending material for 2018 is engineered hardwood. Hardwood is still a classic flooring material that communicates quality and sophistication. Unlike solid hardwood, engineered hardwood comes in planks that have a wear layer made out of real wood on top of a non-wood core. The benefits of this core is that engineered hardwood is much more stable than real wood and won’t expand and contract when moisture and humidity change like solid hardwood will.
With engineered hardwood you are getting real wood at a cost much less than solid hardwood. The look and feel is genuine at a lower price and a better stability. From our own personal experience it’s much easier to find a larger variety (color and wood species) of pre-finished engineered hardwood flooring options than solid pre-finished… but that’s just us.
Also like hardwood you have complete customizability of your floors with engineered hardwood. There is such an option as unfinished engineered hardwood which can be sanded and stained to any color you want right on the spot.
So that's just a little bit of insider information regarding LVT, Carpet, and Engineered Hardwood. These three truly are a great bang for your buck and are definitely trending in 2018. You can’t go wrong when selecting these materials for your home.
We hope this post was helpful, if you have any questions regarding anything you read above or would like some help picking out some new flooring for your home… contact us.
We would love to help! Thanks for reading :)