Best Flooring Materials for Colorado Springs

Colorado climates are some of the trickiest to prepare for in the nation. Its combination of low humidity, high elevation, and cool and dry seasons paired with cold winters creates some of the most extreme weather events in the world. 

Any Coloradoan knows that being prepared for any season at any time is smart. The same can be said for your home’s interior floors. Being prepared for any season at any time in terms of flooring allows you the benefits of lower maintenance, maximum lifespan, and functionality just as choosing the wrong materials can be frustrating. 

If you have been wondering about the best flooring materials for your home, here are 4 styles to consider. 

1. Engineered hardwoods

For those who are looking for the feel of hardwood flooring but are concerned about the cost and maintenance of solid wood, engineered hardwoods offer the best of both worlds. These multi-ply materials come prepared with a realistic wood veneer. Engineered woods are pre-stressed, which produces a stronger finish that stands up to wear and tear.

Colorado dryness plus snow melt from boots can be brutal on natural wood floors.

Engineered hardwoods consist of numerous layers of shaved veneer that sit on top of multiple layers of plywood backing, adding a stable and finished look to a composed multi-piece plank. The manufacturing process for engineered woods is less intensive than lumbering for solid woods, and it’s much easier to find a replacement that matches your current finish should a plank warp or bubble. 

Additionally, because of its veneer composition, there is a greater variety of widths in plank. In larger open floor plans, wide plank engineered hardwoods, sometimes up to 8”-10” inches wide, are the flooring of choice. These wide planks add a look and feel that rivals solid wood but is less labor-intensive in the installation. 

While price points are similar to solid wood planks, for the customer who wants the look and finish of solid wood flooring but wants the greater footprint and adaptability not found in solid woods, an engineered hardwood floor may be a great option. 

2. Solid Wood Flooring

In contrast to engineered hardwoods, solid wood flooring is exactly what you would guess from the name. Solid wood pieces have a measured thickness, usually derived from cherry, oak, maple, birch, or pine trees and come in long planks. Solid hardwoods are either site finished or pre-finished to an average depth of half an inch. While not as durable as engineered wood, this finishing allows for some wear and tear without noticable damage. 

These flooring boards are lumbered and cut to a specific thickness and width, and on average tend to be more narrow than engineered hardwoods. Because of this, there is usually a need for a little bit more solid wood than engineered woods when flooring your home. This additional price increase is typically offset, however, by the resale value that is associated with hardwood flooring should you ever choose to pull it up and replace it. 

While solid woods have a greater propensity for warping in moisture-rich environments because of their single-piece composition, the lifespan of solid wood can be two to three times longer than engineered hardwoods for the same reason. Solid woods are still the preferred product for those seeking to add long-term value and durability to a home making it a worthwhile option if you are seeking a long-term solution.

If you plan to include an effective mudroom or entryway in your Colorado home, you can protect your wood floors from snow and dirt.  

3. Luxury Vinyl Plank

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is the most versatile and often most affordable of all the flooring types we will discuss. Vinyl plank flooring is a great option for customers who like the look of solid wood or engineered hardwoods, but don’t mind the lack of natural feel that comes from a vinyl plank. Most LVP clicks together for easy installation.

For Coloradoans, vinyl planks make sense if your home is prone to water deposits (via tracked snow, muddy conditions, or a dog’s water bowl that is constantly being overturned) because of their waterproof construction. Additionally, vinyl planks, unlike wood, are less prone to expand or contract in adverse temperatures, and more and more there are varying color and pattern options coming into the market. 

The look of vinyl that mimics real wood is getting closer and closer. 

4. Laminate

Much like vinyl plank, laminate flooring might look like wood, but it’s actually a combination of wood and melamine, a type of plastic. The top composite layer is usually printed to make it look like wood but is actually much cheaper than the woods that were previously mentioned. Much like vinyl, the prints that are available are getting closer and closer to a wood look, but at a far cheaper price point. What you save in price, you lose in quality. The feel of natural wood and laminate flooring aren’t similar. Most people prefer the feel of natural wood.

Laminate flooring is known for being the easiest to maintain and for having the greatest variety of finishes. While it’s known to be the most scratch resistant of the woods mentioned in this post, it may not perform well if left in wet conditions for ovr 72 hours. Thankfully, the cost and labor to repair laminate flooring is typically less than hardwood or vinyl replacement. 

What does Lifestyle Floors recommend as the best flooring material for Colorado Springs?

If your home is a long-term investment or you are looking for optimal resale value, then solid wood or engineered wood flooring would be your best bet. 

If weather and climate conditions are of chief concern or you have many pets or children, vinyl plank flooring may be a great cost-saving option. You won’t have to make a significant sacrifice in look and feel. 

Lastly, if there’s a short-term fix needed, and you know that the floors are going to take a beating from the weather, a laminate floor may be in order. 

Regardless of the type of flooring you want or think you may need, give the professionals at Lifestyle Flooring of Colorado Springs a call. Our expert staff can help you make a decision that meets your needs and your budget.