Your hallway flooring needs to be many things at once: stylish, hardwearing, practical and low maintenance. It may seem like a lot to ask but considering the hallway will likely experience the most footfall in your home, it’s important that it can stand the test of time.
What should you consider?
Before you look to the styles and finishes available for your hallway flooring, there are a few questions you should ask first.
1. Who lives in the house?
If you have young children or elderly residents, you may want to avoid hard or slippery surfaces such as wood and tiles as to minimise the risk of a fall and injury. Whereas if you have pets, you could select a darker flooring that’s easy to keep clean and stain-free.
2. How light/warm is the hallway and stair area?
With the right type of flooring, you can easily enhance your hallway to brighten the space or add a bit of warmth. Light-coloured tiles or wood can reflect light and carpets are great for additional insulation.
3. What flooring is used in adjoining rooms?
If you want to create a uniform look throughout your home, you’ll want to consider the types of flooring that are currently being used. Is your staircase or the flooring in other rooms being replaced too? And, if so, which style would flow best in all spaces?
4. What is your budget?
If you can, try to set aside a budget to allow you to invest in good quality flooring that will easily endure the considerable amount of wear and tear it will face over the years.
Types of hallway flooring
Solid wood
Understandably, we’re huge fans of the classic solid wood option. Both practical and desirable, solid wood will add a great amount of value to any hallway. What’s more, it’s highly durable and, even if any damage occurs over time, it can easily be refinished to restore it to glory.
Engineered wood
A quality and cost-effective alternative to solid wood, engineered wood looks very similar on the surface, but is made from a relatively thin layer of hardwood bonded over layers of softwood.
The construction of engineered wood makes it slightly more stable and less susceptible to warping in the presence of water and heat.
Laminate
Whilst it can’t completely match the stunning detail and natural grain of real wood, laminate can produce a realistic wood appearance for a fraction of the price.
It’s highly durable and scratch resistant on top, with layers underneath that are designed to not warp or rise due to changes in humidity.
Carpet
Warmer and softer than hard flooring, carpet can be a welcoming and homely choice for you hallway flooring. While it may require more thorough cleaning, carpet is a great insulator and will also help to reduce any noise and echo.
Try to stick to a carpet made from wool blends. Though more expensive, they will last longer and are more durable compared to synthetic options.
Vinyl
Today, it’s easy to find good quality, robust vinyl, which makes it a popular choice for the hallway. It can have the appearance of wooden boards, parquet, stone or even patterned tiles, so you’ll have plenty of styles to choose from to fit your home.
While it’s much cheaper and easy to clean, it’s worth remembering that the soft finish can make it more prone to damage than other flooring options.
Natural stone tiles
Crafted by nature, every stone tile is unique. This makes for a beautiful and timeless finish, but it can mean it’s difficult to get a consistent look depending on the type and colour of stone you choose.
Before selecting a natural stone tile, bear in mind that not all will be suitable for the hallway. Some natural stone can be more sensitive to moisture and damage than others and will require ongoing care to maintain its finish.
Ceramic tiles
They may not have the individuality of natural stone, but when selected carefully, ceramic tiles are a stylish and hard-wearing flooring. They make a great alternative if your budget can’t cover an investment in natural stone and will provide a quality finish.
Because ceramic tiles are man-made, they are available in plenty of design options and colours – some can even be made to resemble the look of natural stone!
If you’re in the process of planning your new build or renovation project, get in touch with our team to discuss how we can create a stunning feature staircase for your hallway. Call us on 01962 712299 or email web-enq@multiturn.co.uk.