Flooring is one of the most important elements of your home. It impacts the look, feel, and function of every room—and since it’s not something you replace often, choosing the right option matters. Changing the colour of your walls is simple and inexpensive; changing the flooring requires professionals, is time-consuming, and is more of an investment.
Not only that, but you actually interact with your flooring more than any other part of your home – it’s impossible to avoid!
Whether you’re doing a full renovation or simply updating a room, it helps to understand the pros and cons of each flooring type. Let’s walk through some of the most popular options and what makes each one a great—or not-so-great—fit depending on your needs. We’ll consider style, durability, comfort, and cost.
A quick note about costs: though there are price differences between the various types of flooring, there can be quite a range of prices within each style. This means it’s almost impossible to make definitive comparisons about the price of one type vs. another, but we have offered some general cost considerations.
As always, the Design Team at All Canadian Renovations will guide you to the best choice for your space and budget.
Hardwood: Timeless and Elegant
There’s something undeniably classic about hardwood floors. Whether it’s the rich grain of oak or the warm tone of maple, solid wood adds natural beauty and value to any home. It’s durable and can be refinished several times, making it a long-term investment.
That said, it does require some TLC. Hardwood doesn’t love moisture or drastic temperature changes, so it’s not ideal for bathrooms or basements. It also tends to be one of the pricier options, both in terms of material and installation.
Luxury Vinyl: Waterproof and Stylish
Vinyl flooring has come a long way. Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and tile (LVT) options are not only attractive but also completely waterproof. They’re soft underfoot, easy to clean, and come in styles that convincingly mimic wood and stone.
This makes them perfect for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. The only real trade-offs are that cheaper products may look less realistic, and vinyl isn’t the most eco-friendly material out there. Still, for practical, everyday use, it provides good value and is tough to beat.
Tile: Tough and Timeless
If you’re renovating a bathroom or kitchen, you’ve probably considered ceramic or porcelain tile. It’s water-resistant, durable, and easy to clean—plus, there are endless design possibilities.
Tile can feel cold and hard underfoot, which some people don’t love – especially during our long, cold winters (read more about in-floor radiant heating later in this article to solve this problem). It also involves grout, which means extra maintenance over time. But if you want something that stands up to spills and looks great for decades, tile is a smart choice.
Carpet: Soft, Warm, and Cozy
Carpet has its place—especially in bedrooms or family rooms where comfort matters most. It’s warm, quiet, and provides great insulation, which is perfect for those chilly Manitoba winters.
However, it’s not ideal for high-traffic areas or homes with pets, as it stains easily and can trap allergens. It also requires regular vacuuming and deep cleaning to stay looking fresh. But for comfort and quiet, carpet is hard to beat.
Carpet is also a poor choice for any rooms where moisture is a concern, such as older basements. Over time the moisture can lead to mold and the carpets start smelling musty.
There is a myriad of carpet choices – materials, backing, colours, patterns, and pile height – many of which can be very affordable. And for some applications like high-traffic areas, carpet tiles can be installed, enabling the replacement of only a few tiles if they become worn or stained.
Treat Yourself to In-Floor Heating!
In-floor heating, also known as radiant floor heating, warms a room from the ground up using electric cables or hot water tubes beneath the flooring. It’s energy-efficient, silent, and provides consistent warmth without the need for vents or radiators.
Ideal for bathrooms, basements, or entire homes, it works well with tile, vinyl, and engineered wood floors. While installation costs can be higher than traditional heating, the comfort and efficiency often outweigh the initial expense. It is definitely appreciated in cold climates for eliminating chilly floors and creating a cozy, evenly heated space.
Radiant floor heating tends to be one of those things you’ve never given much thought to – until you experience it! Not only does it provide consistent ambient heat, but it doesn’t dry out the air like the forced heat from a furnace. And walking on a warm floor is a truly gratifying experience, especially in the middle of February!
Finding the Right Fit
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to flooring. Each room in your home has different needs, and your lifestyle, budget, and design preferences will all play a part in the decision.
As we said at the beginning of this article, your flooring should be considered as a long-term investment. All Canadian Renovations will help you decide which type of flooring is going to serve you best, with quality, longevity, and price in mind!
(Some Notable Omissions)
At All Canadian Renovations our priority is to provide you with the best service, materials, and results that we can; we want you to feel positive about your investment for years to come, and to contact us again when it’s time for your next home update.
So it’s for these reasons that some types of flooring have intentionally been omitted from this article.
In our professional opinion – backed by our years of installation experience – the flooring options we have presented here are going to offer the best value, comfort, and durability for your home. Other options may exist, but not for us.