How to choose different flooring for your house

Sandra Nakintu, a business woman says her desire was having a carpet floor in the living room, wooden in her children's bedroom then tiles in the master bed room  and in the kitchen.  Unfortunately her husband did not buy the idea of having more than one floor type in the house, claiming their house will look weird.

Flooring is one of the most expensive investments made while constructing a house. In most cases choosing the best flooring for a house is tricky which should not be because there are plenty of fabrications to select from for different rooms.

 Samson Kikomeko a civil engineer says, a house can have more than one floor type however, it should not exceed three types. Before selecting flooring for your home, put in mind whether the material you want will function for you.

"Besides getting the look you want for your home, it is even more important that what you put inside your house functions the way you need it to," he says.  

 According to Paul Mukasa, another civil engineer before applying the different floors a person has to consider factors like the costs involved, time taken to achieve the desired level of flooring, type of floor, accessibility of the materials involved , availability of labor to carry out the flooring type chosen, coloring and maintenance involved after fixing the floor.

He says, cement sand screed, terrazzo, tile or wood can be used as flooring in a house but the wooden floors are good where the ground is dry as not to create dampness which will affect the durability of the wood used.

What to apply in different rooms

Mukasa, says it is much better to use terrazzo in the kitchen and bathrooms because this type of flooring is easy to clean and dirt will show clearly as to prompt the occupant to clean.

"Most people tend to apply tile floors, in the living and dining rooms especially if funds are in easy reach. While others of low income will apply cement sand screed,"Mukasa says.

However, Kikomeko, says a hard flooring or tile is best for dinning because if accidently food or drinks drop on it, it's much easier to clean. For the bedrooms, one has to be creative while flooring but materials like tiles, cement sand screed, wood, or carpet will do. 

"Carpets are frequently used in bedrooms because they provide a warm surface for both children and adults but they are easily stained and hold up dust," he says

Does lighting and colour matter

Mukasa, says the flooring should match the lighting within the house. For example reading rooms are likely to have bright colour for both floor and walls. While bedrooms may have relatively less bright colours Colouring depends on the location of the rooms, for instance, choose a nice welcoming colour flooring for the living room.  Kikomeke, explains that if the house is small it is better to lay one colour and type of flooring mainly in the living areas because it makes the rooms look bigger.

Mukasa, also adds that colour is very important while selecting the type of floor though differences in colour may arise especially in hospitals and public places. Different colors will alert the users of what is expected upfront as they use the facility.

How to clean and maintain different flooring

Mukasa, says every type of flooring requires a different method of cleaning to maintain and increase its lifespan. Use a suitable cleaning method and products (detergents) to make your floor look clean.

"If you cannot do it yourself, hire cleaning services who have knowledge and expertise on how to care for different floors," he advices.

Kikomeko, says floor type like terrazzo and tiles simply sweep, scrub or mop with water and detergents to make the floor sparking clean. While carpets use a vacuum cleaner to remove stains.

"Remove the stain immediately because the longer it lasts the harder it is to clean," says KIkomeko.

Mukasa, explains for wooden floor use a wood cleaning product, soak a rag in water then squeeze it almost dry. Mop the floor with care and make sure water does not sprinkle on the floor. Deep another rag in clean water to rinse then dry the floor well to prevent it from getting damaged.