Concrete Floors & Carpet

I would highly suggest whatever you do to avoid carpet.
Carpet stains easily and after awhile starts to have its own smell. If you or anyone in your family have allergies even more the reason to avoid...it is also not good for tots potty training or inside pets.

We lived in a town home that had large creamic tile and it was the best. The materials cost almost the same as carpet except it will take more man hours to lay down. The upside is in the long run you will be less likely to have to be replacing it again like carpet.

Hi L., we are also building a house and we are getting title. I grew up in a house with stained concrete and did not last. Especially if you mop daily and that is what I do. I like for all of us to walk around in white socks and I hate a dirty looking pair of socks. If you do decide to stain your concrete floors you will probably have to use a swipper mop. Good luck!

Elisa M

i was married to a floor installer for many years! i know more about floor covering than some showrooms!.as far as the carpet goes, the pad is more important than the carpet so don't skimp on the pad! go up a grade or two and your carpet will last much longer. as far as stained concrete it can be beautiful, but it wears! if it is a high traffic area even if you seal it it will wear and there is nothing uglier than stain that is scratched and worn off! plus the concrete will be very cold! even with carpet over it and your kids will most likely be sitting and laying on that floor in the playroom. plus new foundations crack and that's ugly too! at least with tile you can replace a couple if needed and it adds an extra layer, what about wood or laminate? except in areas that are prone to flooding (bathrooms and laundry rooms) they are warm, durable and you can enjoy them and the beauty that they will give your home for many years! well i am late for work, so gotta run, let me know if i can be of any more help!

Were it me (and it was not even two years ago) I put laminate flooring down as it is a bit warmer and softer in the main areas and carpet in the living and play room. I love the look of stained concrete, but it is very unforgiving. As for the carpet, we know that it will have to be replaced at some point, but the key is to not wear shoes in the house and limit the kinds of snacks they are allowed to eat on carpet. On padding - get the very best you can afford and it will make a big difference.

I stained my own concrete(acid stain) and it was very easy and cheap. Having it done is way over-priced if it is comparable to tile.(I have also installed a tile floor. Putting in tile in my kitchen took a couple of weeks, staining my concrete took a day and a half including prep and sealing). Any way, my stained floor is gorgeous and so easy to care for. I plan to pull all of the carpet out of my house and stain the rest of the concrete as well.