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Carpet or Hardwoods?

post #1 of 22
1/6/07 at 9:00am
Thread Starter 
I have had hardwoods for about 11 years now, and I'm thinking about carpeting. This would be in the living room (which is formal), dining room, foyer, stairwell, and landing. I grew up with carpet and know what it takes for upkeep, but which do you think is easier to maintain? Bear in mind children, pets, and traffic.
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post #2 of 22
1/6/07 at 9:29am
I am considering installing laminate wood floors in my next house. (We will be building soon.) We have two large dogs and one child right now. The dogs are the hardest on our current burbur carpet. Their hair is always in the carpet and the dogs make the carpet quite dirty on rainy days. I just never feel like the carpets are as clean as I want them, and my husband vacumes at least 3-4 times a week!! Plus we use a wet-vacumme every once in a while to get the spots out.

What are the pluses and minuses for your hardwood floors?

If you get carpet, I recommend having it scotch guarded and make sure you get a good thick quality carpet. Spend the extra cent on the thick padding too. It will be well worth it!!! We bought some cheap stuff for one room last year and it already looks 5 years old. The thinner carpet does not keep the bounce. It just flattens out when everyone walks on it.

I must admit that the carpet is nice for a baby learning to crawl and walk.

I'd love to hear your experience with the hard wood floors though!!
THanks!
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post #3 of 22
1/6/07 at 9:35am
I would take hardwood any day!! Easier to clean, you can always put nice throw rugs or area rugs, you already have them (I would kill for them in my living & dining rooms!) they are better for allergies and asthma, too! And they look so nice!
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post #4 of 22
1/6/07 at 9:40am
Thread Starter 
The plusses to my hardwoods:
*spills clean up easily
*dog hair doesn't stick....I have 3 large breed dogs and tons of fur
*pretty
*the kids have a blast sliding on them
*toys can move easily on them....walking dinosaur, zip-pull cars, etc.
*mud/rain easily wiped up
*dust mop as often as you want/need & wet mop weekly or so
*if I change paint, furniture, or decor, the flooring isn't an issue
*wood creaks when walking, so no one can sneak around (teehee)

Minusses:
*my rooms are large and echo since no carpet to absorb sound
*dog hair and dust float across flooring and accumulate under furniture or against walls
*they have lost their sheen in some places.....granted they are 71 years old and had carpet over them for quite some years & we haven't had the money to refinish them
*rooms are cooler in the winter because no carpet to help insulate and retain heat
*loud-ish creaking in some areas that carpet would help muffle when we walk (so we could raom around and not wake kids)
*Delicate in their upkeep to a certain extent
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post #5 of 22
1/6/07 at 9:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Happymom View Post

I would take hardwood any day!! Easier to clean, you can always put nice throw rugs or area rugs, you already have them (I would kill for them in my living & dining rooms!) they are better for allergies and asthma, too! And they look so nice!


That is true about the allergies and asthma. With dogs in the house, the carpet does take more wear and tear and hold the allergans more.
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post #6 of 22
1/6/07 at 10:02am
I had all hardwoods in my previous house, and now we have hardwoods in our entry way, kitchen & main level bath. I would have LOVED to have still had hardwoods everywhere, but it was too expensive when we were building our new home. I would never trade hardwoods for carpet, but that's just me.
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post #7 of 22
1/6/07 at 10:45am
We just put wood in our entire house this summer and I would not go back to carpet EVER! I can't think of any minuses really.

Now that I can get up all the dirt, it makes me realize how much dirt and sand was in the carpet! YUCK!
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post #8 of 22
1/6/07 at 10:46am
Our house has all the original hardwoods and I wouldn't want it any other way. Carpet grosses me out because I feel like you can't get it clean, but that's my own issue. L.OL
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post #9 of 22
1/6/07 at 10:53am
My hardwood floor are almost 100 yrs old and they still are in decent shape. I dont think I could ever do carpet again, wherever I live.
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post #10 of 22
1/6/07 at 11:33am
I hate carpet. If you think you want carpet I sugest getting area rugs. Manufactors can make them to fit the size of your room and you wont even know they are just laying on the floor. You wont have to buy padding you dont have to have it installed, no tack strips to ruin the floor and if you get sick of it you can just roll it up and store it or toss it.

I only have carpet in the bedrooms but not for long! They harbor nasty things and get ratty.
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