As you know from living in San Antonio, the weather can get quite hot and humid. How does your flooring fare with that type of climate? When floors get damp, moisture seeps into the foundation and even walls, causing irreparable damage to your home.
Different flooring materials will function differently depending on what kind of climate you live in. In general, humidity and moisture will cause warping in hardwood floors. While beautiful and popular, hardwood is expensive to maintain and replace planks due to damage. There are other options that may be better suited to you. Check out these best types of flooring for homes that are located in hot and humid climates.
Luxury Vinyl Tile
Customized Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a great alternative to hardwood. When you hear the word vinyl, your mind may automatically jump to the cheap peel-and-stick vinyl flooring of years past. But Luxury Vinyl Tile has come a long way, offering several durable layers that withstand heat, moisture, and high traffic very well. It’s also affordable and easy to maintain. It comes in a variety of patterns and textures, and you can even choose a style that mimics the look of hardwood.
Laminate
Laminate is another material that has come a long way since the 1970s. The latest generation of laminate floors today offers elegance, modern designs, and excellent quality. The latest laminate floors are made of wood fibers, resin, and paper that has been compressed under extreme pressure.
Laminate floors bring several benefits, such as:
- Easy installation
- Durability
- Ease of maintenance
- Scratch resistance
- Humidity resistance
It’s important to have your laminate floors professionally installed to ensure water doesn’t seep in along the corners. If your budget is tight yet you want a classy, beautiful flooring option that does well in the humidity, choose laminate.
Porcelain Tile
This hard, durable surface is ideal for use in damp climates. Porcelain is very dense – even harder than ceramic. Due to this low porosity, porcelain does not absorb water due to humidity in the environment. You get even more design choices with porcelain than you do with any other flooring material, including ceramic.
Concrete
This material is becoming more and more popular in terms of flooring. With its easy maintenance and creative finishes, you can choose from a wide variety of stains and textures. The only thing is, you have to seal it regularly. When sealed, concrete doesn’t absorb much moisture at all. And contrary to what you may think, concrete stays cooler to the touch in warmer climates than other flooring types. Due to the fact that concrete doesn’t absorb moisture, it also doesn’t harbor mold or mildew. Concrete is a great option for those who have allergies or asthma.
Rubber
Also becoming more of a popular choice these days, rubber flooring is ideal for use in damp climates, as it does not absorb moisture. Your mind may go to thoughts of flooring in play spaces, hospitals, schools and cafeterias. But you can customize them to match your décor in a classy, understated way. Not only are they easy to clean, they’re comfortable underfoot. You can choose from a variety of colors and finishes. Rubber also happens to be easy to install and it costs less than other materials. It’s ideal for placement in any number of rooms, such as the kitchen, bathroom or anywhere else that sees a lot of moisture.
Wrapping it Up
In conclusion, it really doesn’t matter what type of flooring you incorporate in your home when living in a humid climate. If you love hardwood flooring, go for it. Just run a humidifier in your home when it’s particularly humid out and be mindful of expanding and contracting. It is possible to live with humidity and hardwood flooring. Millions of people do it!
This is why you shouldn’t feel limited by the types of flooring available when outfitting your new home or renovated home. Most flooring materials can survive for the long-term even in hot, humid climates like Southeast Texas.
Not sure what’s best for your home? Let our designers come out and take a look. We can recommend the best type of flooring for every room in your home, and the best ways to care for it.
Contact Designer Wood Flooring
Why not start off the new year with some new flooring? It’s easy to book a consultation and free quote with Designer Wood Flooring when you contact us at 830-228-4866.
