Every homeowner has a vision of what their dream house would look like. From furniture to paint schemes, every detail must be to your taste, in order to make the perfect home. And when it comes to flooring, wooden floors are the top choice for a large number of people.
This is because hardwood floors never go out of style, whether in residential buildings or commercial. However, authentic wooden floors may put a huge dent in your construction budget as they are expensive and require regular maintenance. Luckily, there are several alternatives to hardwood floors in the present market.
These options give you the look and texture of wood but come without that high price tag. Many of them are also made of natural material, so as not to compromise your vision for your home.
Let’s check out nine hardwood floor alternatives that will make your home look gorgeous without putting your bank account under pressure.
Flooring Ideas You Can Use Instead of Hardwood
Depending on your budget and the finishing you want, you can choose one of the following hardwood alternatives to install as flooring in your home.
1. Bamboo
Bamboo is one of the best alternatives to hardwood as it is cheap, environment-friendly, and durable. Bamboo floors give a natural vibe to your home and make it look classy on a reasonable budget. Bamboo is also a sustainable resource, so you need not feel guilty about harming the environment.
Bamboo floors can be made of strand-woven bamboo, engineered bamboo, and so on. You can choose the variant you like best, after consultation with a professional.
2. Cork
Another environment-friendly alternative to wood is cork flooring. Cork makes your home look sophisticated and brightens up the space with its colours and textures. It is also resistant to insects, mildew, and mould, which is a huge relief for homeowners. Its soft, cushiony surface makes less noise and gives great support to people with joint and back problems.
Also, if you are concerned about damage and heating issues in the house, let’s just say that cork has insulation properties and is highly resistant to wear and tear.
You can install cork floors in the living room, kitchen, and any other space. They can be customised to look like wood, so your wooden floor dreams can still be a reality with cork.
3. Wooden-Looking Tiles
If you like the look of wood but cannot afford it, wooden-looking tiles are a great alternative. It is also suitable for homes where wood is not a feasible option to install, like in tropical climates.
Hardwood alternative tiles come in vinyl, mosaic, parquet, etc. Most tiles are water- and traffic-proof, something that cannot be said for wood. You can also choose the style, colour, and size of tiles to make them look the way you want.
4. Vinyl
Synthetic materials like vinyl can be designed to look exactly like wood at a fraction of the cost. Vinyl floors may wear out quicker, but their low cost trumps their longevity problem. Vinyl is also stain-resistant and can withstand spills or harsh sunlight.
Vinyl planks or LVT are quite comfortable, durable, and waterproof. It can be made in different patterns with 3D printing and embossed-in-register. You can also do your flooring with vinyl sheets for a uniform and attractive finishing.
Read Also: Materials 101: All You Need to Know About Vinyl Flooring
5. Laminate
Laminate makes this list of hardwood alternatives as it is inexpensive, durable, and attractive. You can get it in different colours and styles to match your aesthetic. Laminate is resistant to moisture and stains, so you can use it as bathroom and kitchen flooring.
Laminate floors also come in click-together versions that do not require glue, staple, or nails. You can make its installation a fun DYI project with your family.
6. Concrete
Concrete floors are the epitome of durability and long-lasting. And if you think they look dull and boring, think again. Concrete flooring can now be made to look like wood by staining, polishing, and stamping it.
It also has a non-slippery texture that is safe for your home. Instead of reserving concrete only for garages and basements, you can now use concrete blocks inside your house while keeping the design elegant and classy.
7. Hempwood
Hemp may make you think otherwise, but hempwood is one of the most suitable hardwood flooring alternatives on the market. Made of stalks, hemp floors are sustainable and give an earthy and boho vibe.
Hemp is also highly carbon-absorbent and can produce more flooring per acre than most trees. So, it is a win-win situation for you and the earth!
8. Tiles
Tiles can be made from all sorts of materials, ranging from natural to synthetic. Some variants are linoleum, cement, concrete, porcelain, ceramic, vinyl, etc. Most tiles are durable and colourful, and many homeowners love this kind of flooring.
If you’re thinking a tiled floor will turn out to be rough and rugged, don’t worry because most tiles can be polished to give a comfortable underfoot finishing. You can also play around with tile types and colours to give your floor a unique look.
9. Natural Stone
Need the wooden floor look without actually putting in a wood-like material? You can choose natural stone instead. Surprisingly, natural stone materials like marble, granite, quartz, slate, sandstone, limestone, travertine, etc. can also be great wood replacements. They can be installed in houses of any climate type.
They also have versatile designs and patterns and can be customised based on the look and colour scheme of your house. Stone floors last very long, are easy on the pocket and do not heat up easily, making them one of the smartest choices for flooring.
Read Also: How Can Natural Stone Countertops Revamp Your Interior Design?
It would surprise you how many remarkable hardwood flooring alternatives you can get on the market now. But when it comes to home interiors, the most important thing is to get the job done by an expert.
After all, you don’t want to get a shoddy flooring installed, and then spend more money on getting it fixed. You can choose HomeLane to get all home interior solutions under one roof and from experts. Combine style and functionality with the various flooring options at HomeLane to make your house beautiful to look at and strong at the base.
