There are a lot of compelling reasons to choose hard floors and floor mats over having a room carpeted. In fact, I question why anyone would ever choose carpeting a whole room after reading this list of reasons.
Don’t get us wrong, a good carpet can look and feel great. Sure, it is more expensive, less good for your health and far less versatile, but for some people it could be a great choice.
But consider all these issues before you invest a hefty sum of money into carpeting.
- If you get a burn or a stain in a carpet in a room, it is difficult to replace only that patch. Sure you can move your couch over it, but you would know it is there. With hard floors and floor mats in strategic places you can easily clean most issues up and if a floor mat does get ruined, it is much cheaper to replace.
- Wear and tear is also a big issue. Over time a carpet will show wear in the places people walk the most. This is far less likely with a hard surface and good floor mats.
- Changing styles are also a big issue. I do not remember anyone saying that hard wood or tile floors are out of style. And with area rugs or high-quality floor mats, you can change with the times as needed.
- Allergies and cleaning a carpet well is also a huge issue. I remember years ago my parents had to rip out all the carpet in their house and go to hard wood floors with floor mats in order to reduce allergens and improve their health. It was expensive, but it worked. They are much happier now.
- Special floor mats also can make a big impact compared to carpet. You can get heated floor mats, floor mats that resist slipping and anti-fatigue floor mats which keep you feeling fresh even when you are stand for longer periods of time. Maybe you could install carpet with some of these features, but it would be more expensive and less flexible in the future. Just does not make sense.
- Resale value also will be impacted if you install carpet over hardwood or tile. Some buyers may not like the carpet choice. Other’s may see the wear on it when you take out furniture and it becomes more of an eyesore no matter how nice the carpet was when new. Floor mats are easily removed when a house is show for sale.
We absolutely do not want to say to never buy carpet. Sometimes it is exactly what you want and enjoying your home or business is important. Just be sure to consider your floor mat and hard floor options carefully before assuming carpet is for you.
