7 Best Flooring Types Recommended by Home Design Experts (2025 Guide)
Choosing new flooring is a major investment—similar to buying a car or kitchen appliances—yet many homeowners jump into decisions without enough information. Flooring serves as the literal foundation of your home design, but people tend to focus on wall colors and furniture instead of what's beneath their feet.
What makes selecting the right flooring so crucial? The Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing flooring materials since 1900, demonstrating just how important this choice really is. Your ideal flooring depends on several key factors: how you use each room, expected foot traffic, and your specific lifestyle needs. Families with children or pets face entirely different considerations than empty-nesters or single professionals.
The current market presents additional challenges. Inflation and supply chain issues continue to impact prices, with hardwood costs now 38% higher than before the pandemic. Price ranges vary dramatically across materials:
Solid hardwood: $5 to $10 per square foot
Vinyl flooring: $2 to $6 per square foot (the fastest-growing category)
Carpet: Still North America's largest flooring segment
Eco-conscious homeowners now have more options too, including plant-based epoxy flooring that delivers customizable beauty while cutting carbon emissions by up to 96%.
So, what flooring type makes the most sense for your home? This guide breaks down the best flooring options according to design experts, helping you make smart decisions for your Canadian home in 2025—whether you're renovating a single room or the entire house.
Hardwood Flooring
Image Source: NerdWallet
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring delivers a timeless quality that instantly transforms living spaces through natural beauty and proven longevity. Canadian homeowners looking for both visual appeal and practical functionality discover that hardwood floors create character that synthetic options simply can't match.
Hardwood flooring benefits for Canadian homes
Hardwood's remarkable durability proves perfect for Canada's variable climate conditions. Quality hardwood installations last over a century with proper maintenance, offering exceptional long-term value. Unlike carpet, hardwood doesn't trap allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and mold spores—creating healthier indoor air quality for your family.
From a financial perspective, hardwood substantially increases property value. Floor upgrades typically deliver ROI between 50% and 75%, meaning a CAD 6,966.80 investment in hardwood floors returns CAD 3,483.40 to CAD 5,294.77 at resale time. HGTV's Scott McGillivray confirms this, noting hardwood is "the number one request from both homeowners and tenants when they're looking for a home".
Most Canadian hardwood comes from responsibly managed forests, making it an environmentally sound choice as well.
Hardwood flooring pricing in CAD
Hardwood flooring costs vary based on several factors:
For a typical 1,000-square-foot installation, budget between CAD 5,573.44 and CAD 18,113.68 for solid hardwood materials alone. Professional installation adds approximately CAD 4.18 to CAD 5.57 per square foot. What affects the final price? Wood species, grade quality, and finish type all play major roles.
Best hardwood species for durability and style
The Janka hardness scale measures wood's resistance to denting and wear. For Canadian homes, these four species deliver superior performance:
Hickory - Boasting the highest Janka rating of 1820, hickory stands up exceptionally well in high-traffic areas and homes with active children or pets. Its bold, distinctive grain patterns add unique character to any room.
Maple - Canadian maple reaches 1500 on the Janka scale, providing excellent durability alongside subtle grain patterns that complement modern design. Its naturally lighter coloration brightens spaces while resisting moisture better than many competitors.
White Oak - With a Janka rating of 1360, white oak combines classic appeal with excellent wear resistance. Its closed-grain structure helps prevent dents while harmonizing with various interior styles.
Red Oak - Scoring 1290 on the Janka scale, red oak remains popular for its warm tones, reasonable price point, and wide availability. Its reddish hue adds warmth to spaces—particularly welcome during cold Canadian winters.
Your best choice ultimately depends on your specific lifestyle requirements, design preferences, and the particular rooms where you'll install the flooring.
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP)
Image Source: Fuzion Flooring
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP)
Luxury vinyl plank flooring stands out as a practical alternative for homeowners wanting hardwood looks without the maintenance headaches. This synthetic option delivers impressive durability while maintaining visual appeal that fits modern lifestyles. When comparing vinyl vs hardwood or luxury vinyl vs hardwood, LVP offers distinct advantages in terms of water resistance and ease of maintenance.
Luxury vinyl plank features and appearance
What exactly makes LVP so popular? It's all in the construction. LVP features multiple layers including a wear layer, photographic layer, and stable core. Today's premium vinyl planks create convincing wood lookalikes with realistic grain patterns, texture variations, and natural coloring. While most LVP mimics hardwood, you'll also find vinyl plank that looks like tile, offering versatile design options.
Manufacturing techniques have dramatically improved the authenticity factor. Modern LVP comes in varying widths—typically six inches but extending up to nine inches for more contemporary designs. The protective wear layer keeps floors looking fresh without waxing, making maintenance significantly easier than with natural materials.
LVP pricing and installation in Canada
For budget-conscious homeowners, luxury vinyl plank flooring offers excellent value. Canadian pricing ranges from CAD 2.79 to CAD 9.75 per square foot installed. The materials themselves cost between CAD 1.39 and CAD 6.97 per square foot, with installation adding approximately CAD 1.39 to CAD 2.79 per square foot. When considering vinyl flooring vs tile cost, LVP often comes out as the more affordable option.
Your final price depends on several key factors:
Quality and design (more realistic appearances command higher prices)
Plank thickness (thicker options provide better durability and underfoot comfort)
Brand reputation (premium brands typically include stronger warranty protection)
DIY enthusiasts appreciate that many LVP products come with click system installation, allowing for floating installation without adhesives. This user-friendly approach makes vinyl planks far more DIY-friendly than traditional hardwood.
Why LVP is ideal for high-traffic areas
Family homes need flooring that can handle real life, and LVP delivers. Its multi-layered construction creates exceptional resistance to everyday scratches, dents, and stains. Quality vinyl wood look flooring typically lasts 10-20 years when properly maintained.
Unlike hardwood, LVP won't warp or discolor when exposed to moisture. This waterproof quality makes vinyl planks perfect for kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and entryways where spills happen regularly.
Comfort matters too. Luxury vinyl provides more cushioning underfoot than harder materials like tile or stone. Its resilient core absorbs sound—a significant benefit in multi-story homes. For families with children or pets, these practical advantages combined with simple cleaning (just sweeping and occasional damp mopping) create the perfect flooring solution for active households.
Engineered Wood Flooring
Image Source: The Home Depot
Engineered Wood Flooring
Engineered wood flooring delivers the best of both worlds—natural wood beauty with improved stability. For homeowners torn between the warmth of hardwood and practical performance needs, engineered products offer a compelling middle ground that works in spaces where solid wood might fail. When considering engineered hardwood vs vinyl plank, each option has its own set of advantages.
Engineered wood vs. solid hardwood
The construction difference tells the whole story. Engineered hardwood features a real wood veneer bonded to multiple layers of high-quality plywood or HDF core. This smart design significantly improves dimensional stability, meaning your floors won't cup, split, or swell when humidity levels change.
Solid hardwood wins on longevity—you can refinish it up to ten times over its lifetime. Most engineered products only allow one or two refinishes before the veneer wears through. That said, premium engineered options with thicker wear layers (up to 5mm) can handle multiple refinishing cycles.
Engineered wood flooring pricing in CAD
What will engineered hardwood cost you in Canada? Expect to pay between CAD 6.27 and CAD 22.29 per square foot for materials alone. Budget-friendly click-lock planks in oak or maple start around CAD 6.27 per square foot. Installation adds another CAD 4.18 to CAD 6.97 per square foot, depending on project complexity.
Several factors drive these price differences:
Veneer thickness (thicker costs more but lasts longer)
Wood species (exotic woods command premium prices)
Core quality (more plywood layers mean better stability)
Grade (clearer wood with fewer knots costs more)
Best rooms for engineered wood flooring
Engineered hardwood shines in areas where solid wood struggles. Its moisture resistance makes it perfect for:
Living rooms and bedrooms, delivering warmth with better temperature fluctuation resistance
Kitchens, handling moderate moisture exposure without warping
Finished basements, maintaining stability despite humidity changes
Dining rooms, standing up to chair movement better than solid wood
Home offices gain a professional look plus sound-dampening benefits—important for video calls and concentration. Got concrete subfloors? Engineered wood installs directly over them, while solid hardwood typically requires plywood underlayment.
Engineered wood hits the sweet spot between natural beauty and practical performance—making it ideal for Canadian homes where aesthetics matter, but real-life durability matters even more.
Porcelain Tile Flooring
Image Source: The Home Depot
Porcelain Tile Flooring
Porcelain tile rises above other flooring options with its remarkable strength and impressive design flexibility. Created from refined clay fired at temperatures reaching 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, this dense material delivers outstanding performance even in the most challenging spaces of your home. Porcelain plank tile flooring has gained popularity for its ability to mimic the look of hardwood while offering superior durability.
Porcelain tile durability and design options
The unique manufacturing process gives porcelain its standout durability. With a water absorption rate below 0.5%, porcelain creates an almost impenetrable surface that outperforms ceramic tile in resistance to daily wear and tear, even standing up to commercial applications. Quality porcelain usually achieves a PEI rating of 5, making it a smart choice for your busiest household areas.
What makes porcelain truly special is its design range. Today's manufacturing allows porcelain to convincingly mimic luxury materials including:
Marble and various natural stones
Hardwood with authentic-looking grain patterns (tiles that look like hardwood)
Granite and limestone
You can choose from glossy polished finishes to textured matte options, with large-format tiles creating a seamless, spacious feel in your rooms. Some homeowners even opt for wood look porcelain tile no grout installations for a more seamless appearance.
Porcelain tile pricing in CAD
What should you budget for porcelain? In Canada, standard porcelain costs between CAD 4.18 to CAD 13.93 per square foot for materials alone. If you're looking at premium large-format porcelain slabs, prices jump to CAD 14.39 to CAD 21.75 per square foot. Installation isn't cheap either—porcelain requires special cutting tools and skilled labor.
Professional installation adds CAD 13.93 to CAD 34.83 per square foot. The initial price tag might shock you, but porcelain's incredible lifespan—75 to 100 years with basic care—delivers excellent value over decades in your home.
Where to use porcelain tile in your home
Kitchens and bathrooms remain the go-to spaces for porcelain, where its water resistance and durability shine. In bathrooms particularly, porcelain's non-porous surface prevents mold and mildew from taking hold.
Entryways and mudrooms benefit tremendously from porcelain's ability to resist dirt, water, and constant foot traffic. For these high-traffic zones, matte finishes offer slip resistance that enhances safety for your family and guests.
Do you have outdoor living spaces in a milder climate? Porcelain works beautifully outdoors since it resists both frost and UV damage. Unlike many materials, it won't crack during freeze-thaw cycles because it doesn't absorb water that could expand.
While less common in living spaces, porcelain creates a distinctive contemporary look that holds up to family life far better than traditional materials. If durability tops your priority list, porcelain deserves serious consideration throughout your home.
When weighing porcelain wood tile pros and cons, consider its exceptional durability, water resistance, and design versatility against its higher initial cost and installation complexity.
Laminate Flooring
Image Source: Floors Plus
Laminate Flooring
Looking for premium wood looks without the premium price tag? Laminate flooring might be your answer. Made from compressed wood fibreboard topped with a photorealistic layer, laminate gives you the visual appeal of expensive materials while keeping your budget intact. It's an excellent alternative when considering vinyl plank flooring vs hardwood, offering a balance of aesthetics and affordability.
Laminate flooring pros and cons
Laminate shines in several key areas that matter to Canadian homeowners. First, it stands up incredibly well to daily abuse—resisting scratches, dents, and stains that would damage other floors. This makes it perfect for homes with active children or pets. Second, maintenance couldn't be simpler: regular sweeping and occasional mopping is all you need to keep laminate looking great for years. Finally, installation costs won't break the bank, typically running between CAD 4.18 and CAD 13.93 per square foot including labor.
But laminate isn't perfect. Most options are water-resistant, not waterproof, meaning they can handle small spills but not standing water or flooding. Walk across an improperly installed laminate floor and you'll notice a hollow, sometimes noisy sound underfoot. Perhaps most importantly, once laminate shows wear, you can't refinish it like hardwood—replacement is your only option.
Laminate flooring pricing in CAD
The value proposition becomes clear when you compare these numbers to solid hardwood. While wood can cost upwards of CAD 20.90 per square foot installed, laminate delivers remarkably similar looks at roughly one-third the price.
Best laminate styles for modern homes
Today's laminate barely resembles the plastic-looking products of decades past. Modern manufacturing creates textures that not only look like real wood but feel like it too. Wide plank formats have become particularly popular, creating more spacious-feeling rooms with fewer visible seams.
Color trends have shifted toward sophisticated gray and charcoal tones that pair beautifully with contemporary furniture and stainless steel appliances. Many homeowners choose textured, embossed surfaces that add dimension while cleverly hiding scuffs and imperfections in busy areas.
Want to make more of a statement? Patterned laminate in geometric designs or classic herringbone layouts can transform an ordinary room into a design showcase without the designer price tag.
Cork Flooring
Image Source: iCork Floor
Cork Flooring
Ever wondered what it feels like to walk on a floor that "remembers" your steps? Cork flooring offers exactly that—a unique combination of softness and resilience thanks to its honeycomb cellular structure that makes it stand out from conventional flooring options.
Cork flooring comfort and eco-friendliness
Cork's remarkable cellular composition creates natural cushioning underfoot, reducing strain on your joints and back during those long cooking sessions or marathon dishwashing. When you press on cork, it compresses and then bounces back to its original shape—a memory-like quality that makes it incredibly comfortable to stand on for extended periods. This natural springiness makes cork a particularly smart choice for kitchens where you might spend hours preparing family meals.
Cork also ranks among the most environmentally friendly flooring materials you can choose. The harvesting process doesn't harm the trees—workers simply strip the bark from cork oaks, which then regenerate their outer layer every 9-12 years. These cork oak forests actually function as carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere, which often makes cork products carbon negative. The flooring industry typically uses recycled waste from cork bottle stopper production, further enhancing its eco-credentials.
Cork flooring pricing in CAD
The installation method you choose significantly impacts your total cost. Floating floor installations cost substantially less than glue-down applications, which require more labor and materials.
Ideal spaces for cork flooring
Playrooms and children's bedrooms are perfect for cork installation. The softer surface cushions falls, while cork's natural hypoallergenic properties keep indoor air quality high—especially important for little ones. Family rooms benefit from cork's excellent acoustic qualities, which absorb sound and reduce noise transmission between floors—no more complaints about footsteps from upstairs neighbors or family members.
Kitchens make excellent locations for cork despite what you might have heard about moisture sensitivity. Cork contains suberin, a natural waxy substance that makes it water-resistant (though not completely waterproof). With proper polyurethane sealing, kitchens and other moisture-prone areas become perfectly suitable for cork installation.
For basements with proper humidity control, cork's natural thermal insulation helps maintain comfortable temperatures year-round. During those brutal Canadian winters, you'll especially appreciate how cork doesn't conduct cold like tile or stone—keeping your feet warm even on the chilliest mornings.
Carpet Flooring
Carpet continues to win the hearts of Canadian homeowners who crave comfort underfoot that hard surfaces simply can't deliver. Its soft texture and noise-reducing properties create spaces that feel instantly more welcoming and relaxed - perfect for unwinding after a long winter day.
Carpet flooring types and textures
What type of carpet fits your lifestyle? The answer depends on understanding three main construction types:
Cut pile carpets have yarn ends that are cut, creating that plush, soft surface you love sinking your toes into. These work beautifully in bedrooms and living rooms where comfort is key. Loop pile carpets, meanwhile, feature uncut, looped fibers that stand up remarkably well to heavy foot traffic without showing vacuum marks or footprints.
The height of your carpet pile dramatically changes both how it looks and performs. Low pile carpet features short, dense fibers that clean easily and withstand abuse. Medium pile strikes that sweet spot between comfort and practicality that works well in living spaces. High pile delivers luxury and softness but demands more frequent maintenance and tends to trap dust.
Most carpets in Canadian homes use synthetic materials:
Nylon: The durability champion with excellent stain resistance
Polyester: Budget-friendly with vibrant colors and natural stain resistance
Triexta: Superior stain protection built into the fiber shape
Wool: The premium natural option with inherent durability
Carpet pricing in CAD
Quality carpet in Canada typically runs between CAD 2.09 and CAD 11.15 per square foot for materials alone. You'll need to add professional installation at approximately CAD 4.18 to CAD 15.33 per square foot.
What does this mean for your budget? For a standard 12x12 room (144 square feet), expect material costs between CAD 300.97 and CAD 1,605.15, with installation bringing the total to CAD 601.93 to CAD 2,208.24.
Your fiber choice significantly impacts what you'll pay. Nylon sits at a middle price point while delivering excellent durability. Polyester offers solid value for budget-conscious homeowners. Wool, with its premium natural fibers, commands the highest prices.
Best uses for carpet in Canadian homes
Bedrooms remain carpet's natural domain - the softness and warmth are particularly welcome during cold Canadian mornings. Family rooms and living areas benefit from carpet's ability to absorb sound, creating quieter environments for conversation and relaxation.
Finished basements gain tremendous comfort from carpet, turning otherwise cold concrete floors into cozy spaces. Just be sure your basement is properly waterproofed and stick with synthetic fibers that release rather than retain moisture. For families with young children, carpeted playrooms provide extra safety from inevitable tumbles.
During harsh Canadian winters, carpet's thermal resistance proves especially valuable - it's 3.5 times more insulating than hard flooring materials, helping contain heat and potentially lowering energy bills. This practical benefit makes carpet worth considering beyond just its comfort and aesthetic appeal.
Choosing the Right Flooring for Your Canadian Home
Your flooring choice ranks among the biggest investments you'll make as a homeowner, with impacts lasting for decades on both your comfort and property value. Each of the flooring types we've explored offers specific advantages for different scenarios and budgets. Hardwood brings timeless appeal and exceptional longevity, though at premium prices between CAD 5.57 and CAD 18.11 per square foot. Luxury vinyl plank delivers remarkable durability and complete water resistance at a more reasonable CAD 2.79 to CAD 9.75 per square foot installed—a perfect match for busy households with kids or pets.
Budget vs. Long-Term Value
What should matter more—initial cost or lifetime value? Laminate stands out as the budget champion at CAD 6.97 to CAD 13.93 per square foot installed, while engineered wood hits the sweet spot between authentic appearance and practical performance.
Remember though, the true value equation goes beyond the price tag. Take porcelain tile—it might shock you initially at CAD 18.11 to CAD 48.76 per square foot installed, but consider its 75-100 year lifespan with minimal upkeep. This durability essentially reduces your cost to pennies per year over its lifetime.
Environmental and Health Considerations
Health-conscious families often gravitate toward cork flooring, which naturally repels allergens while providing joint-friendly cushioning. Carpet's superior thermal resistance—3.5 times greater than hard surfaces—makes practical sense for Canadian winters, potentially trimming your heating bills during those long cold months.
For environmentally minded homeowners, today's flooring market offers encouraging news. Many modern options now incorporate sustainable materials and manufacturing processes that align with eco-friendly values without sacrificing performance. When considering the environmental impact of your flooring choice, look for certifications and manufacturing processes that prioritize sustainability.
Room-Specific Solutions
The ideal flooring solution changes dramatically based on each room's function. High-moisture spaces like bathrooms and mudrooms need truly waterproof options like luxury vinyl or porcelain. Living spaces where comfort takes priority benefit from carpet or cork. Kitchens require serious scratch resistance and easy cleaning, while bedrooms prioritize warmth and softness underfoot.
Your flooring choices should reflect your actual household patterns—how you move through spaces, what activities happen where, and your tolerance for maintenance. The smartest selections balance immediate visual appeal with long-term practical considerations, creating a home that remains beautiful, comfortable, and functional through years of daily life.
When making your final decision, consider factors such as:
Colors and sizes available in each flooring type
Pet-friendly options for homes with furry family members
Fade resistance for areas with high sun exposure
Click system installation for easier DIY projects
Subfloor preparation requirements
Installation methods and their impact on overall cost
By carefully weighing these factors against your specific needs and preferences, you'll be well-equipped to choose the perfect flooring for each room in your Canadian home. Whether you opt for the timeless elegance of hardwood, the practicality of luxury vinyl, or the comfort of carpet, your informed decision will contribute to a home that's both beautiful and functional for years to come.
