Modern Flooring Options to Beat the Heat This Summer

Tired of carpet? There are plenty of flooring options out there that will look nice and modern while also keeping you and your family cool during hot weather. Take a look at some of the best flooring options to beat the heat below.

1. Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is perhaps the most popular flooring to consider when planning a home remodel due to its numerous benefits. While hardwood flooring can be more expensive to put into a home over other flooring options, it can provide the most value because of its staying power and aesthetics.

The classic look of hardwood floors is unbeatable and can add elegance and warmth to your home. It’s also easy to keep clean and more stain-resistant than carpet. While it’s true that wood can be prone to scratching and denting, with proper care and a bit of refinishing as needed, solid hardwood can last for decades.

Hardwood flooring can also be customized to a certain extent with a different finish or stain. This allows you to switch up the look and feel of your home over time.

Another great thing is that the quality of hardwood does not go unnoticed when assessing the value of your home, so it’s an excellent choice if you are planning to sell your home in the near future. Typically, buyers will pay more for hardwood. They will also like that there are no updates needed for the flooring, which can speed up the buying process.

2. Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring may be a lesser-known flooring option to some, but it provides many of the same perks as solid hardwood flooring while being a little more forgiving when it comes to day-to-day durability.

While hardwood floors are cut from solid wood, engineered hardwood is made from layers of both hardwood and plywood, which can give a more constructed, industrial look. This wood construction prevents the floor from warping and bowing when exposed to moisture and sunlight the way a hardwood floor might when exposed to the same elements.

Engineered hardwood is easy to clean and maintain, and with high-quality materials and consistent upkeep, it can last just as long as hardwood. Some engineered wood can also be carefully refinished and stained a time or two as well. 

3. Tile Flooring

When wanting to keep cool in hot climates, tile flooring made from ceramic, stone, or porcelain is one of the best options to choose from. These materials give the floor a natural, yet elegant look and can be highly customized when it comes to shape, size, color, and texture.

Tile flooring is easy to care for and clean, making it a good option for high-traffic areas and even for patios.

While sturdier than wood flooring due to its moisture-resistant properties, tile flooring often does not last as long due to cracking or chipping over time. However, with proper maintenance, tile floors can last well over 20 years.

4. Stained Concrete Flooring

While many only think of concrete flooring as being in garages or basements, interior use of this flooring has grown in popularity in the past few years due to its modern aesthetic. Stained concrete flooring can take on a wide range of hues and colors and offers remarkable design flexibility.

Concrete is extremely strong and durable and is one of the most scratch-resistant flooring types on the market. Maintaining a concrete floor is relatively easy: It needs to be sealed or waxed every few months depending on wear. Other than that, sweeping and mopping are all you need for upkeep.

Concrete can be susceptible to settling and cracking over time, but it is possible to patch, buff, and refinish the floor to its original sheen.

5. Terrazzo Flooring

Terrazzo is described as a composite material that can consist of a variety of components such as glass, granite, quartz, marble, and more. Like concrete and tile flooring, there is a wide range of design options, making this type of flooring a great choice for those who want to add a truly unique look to their living space.

While true Terrazzo flooring is created on-site and hand-poured, there are modern options available in ready-made tile form, with multiple colors and textures to fit your taste. While it can be expensive to lay this type of flooring, Terrazzo is a great value as it will last a lifetime and hold up to everyday wear and tear.

6. Vinyl Plank Flooring

Vinyl plank flooring is a popular choice for many households due to its affordability and water-resistant surface. While hardwoods can warp with moisture exposure, surface water and spills won’t affect vinyl flooring, making it ideal if you have accident-prone children or pets in the home. This also makes it a great choice for areas with higher humidity, like basements. AND vinyl plank flooring is scratch-resistant, a bonus for homes with pets.

Vinyl flooring also doesn’t come with heavy upkeep — a simple sweep and mop will do to keep them looking their best. Luxury vinyl plank flooring can look very realistic to hardwood while still offering these benefits.

7. Laminate Flooring

Laminate or faux wood flooring is also a great low-cost choice for a flooring upgrade. It’s constructed from fully man-made, layered materials such as pressed composite or recycled wood. While some laminate flooring can look realistic at a distance, the faux nature becomes apparent to most upon closer inspection.

Laminate flooring is very easy to clean and scratch-resistant, and while not water-resistant like vinyl flooring, it is quite durable. Because of its UV-protected topcoat, it will not fade in sunlight as quickly as other floorings such as hardwood, so homeowners can feel more comfortable putting it into a room with large windows.

Selecting the Right Flooring Type

When selecting a type of floor for your home, think about everyday use and the kinds of traffic the floor will get. Durability is a huge consideration, especially when there are children and pets in the home.

The flooring options listed above vary widely in style and upkeep, so it’s essential to do your research when updating your floors. The best thing you can do is consult with a professional contractor to ensure a sound decision for your lifestyle.

Other Home Improvement Projects Perfect for Summer

Summers in Montgomery and Bucks Counties in Pennsylvania are often hot and humid. Summer storms are common and roll in quickly, which sometimes makes planning outdoor projects difficult.

If you're looking to do some other summer home improvement projects around the house, make sure to beat the heat and stay cool by doing a basement remodel, bathroom remodel, kitchen remodel, fireplace install or remodel, or screened-in porch installation.

Upgrade Your Basement

If your home has a basement, the summer is a great time to do any basement finishing or remodeling that needs to be done. Why? Because basements are cooler, making for ideal remodeling temperatures during summer months.

One of the most common basement remodeling projects involves turning the basement into a recreation or family room. As children and families grow, many households find themselves wanting more space. By turning a basement into a recreation room, you can easily add living and entertainment space to your home.

Don't need to use the basement for extra living space? How about doing a summer home remodel that involves turning it into a gym or workout area?

Regardless of the basement projects you take on, make sure to always improve wall and floor insulation in the process of remodeling.

Remodel Your Bathroom

Have a master suite bathroom or guest bathroom that you want to remodel? The summer is a great time of year to complete a bathroom remodel as it is indoors and out of the elements.

Doing bathroom remodels during the warmer months also helps ensure that they'll be ready for family gatherings during the holiday-filled cooler months. And since summer comes with more time off work for most people, this leaves you with more time to focus on interior projects.

Before you get started on your next bathroom remodel, think about the other parts of your home. Is the bathroom remodel going to go well with the rest of the house? A knowledgeable contractor can help you create a bathroom design that flows well with your home.

Renovate Your Kitchen

The kitchen is a gathering place and is often the most used area in a house when socializing with family and friends. Upgrading this part of the home can prepare you for food-filled holidays for years to come.

If you're looking to create a dream kitchen, consider these neat design features:

• Specialized storage
• Pro-style range
• Enclosed trash and recycling
• Statement light fixtures
• Well-lit cabinetry
• Marble or quartz countertops

During the remodel, make sure you use the opportunity to replace any broken fixtures, update appliances, upgrade lighting, and fix any leaks under the sink.

Install a Fireplace

Because fireplaces are most often used in fall and winter, installing or remodeling yours during the summer keeps you out of the heat while adding a nice addition or upgrade to your living space.

Plus, upgrading or doing maintenance on fireplaces as part of your summer remodeling project is an excellent way to ensure the fireplaces are hot and ready to keep you warm once the colder months roll around.

With the right fireplace, you can turn your living space into a main focal point for entertaining guests during the colder months.

Consider Screening In Your Porch

Why should you screen in your porch? For starters, it adds a level of privacy and will help tremendously when it comes to keeping bugs away during the summer. Plus, once your porch is screened in, it conveniently becomes the perfect area for entertaining and dining.

You can screen in your porch to extend living space and create a buffer between indoor and outdoor entertaining areas. Even better is that you can use screened-in porches all year round.

Not Sure Where to Start?

If you want to replace your floors for the warmer months but have questions about the type of flooring that is best for you, contact Tilghman Builders and we can walk you through your options during the planning process to determine the right choice.

In addition to flooring, Tilghman Builders can bring any large-scale interior project of yours to life this summer — and any time of year. We specialize in large-scale interior and exterior remodeling from start to finish.

Take the guesswork out of your home improvement dreams and contact us now.