5 Winter-Friendly Flooring Options in Toronto

5 Winter-Friendly Flooring Options in Toronto

Canadian winters can be unforgiving, and walking barefoot in your home is often uncomfortable as many flooring materials don’t retain heat.

Is your bedroom or living room floor cold? Then it’s time to re-consider your flooring this winter. Fortunately, some flooring materials have insulating properties to ensure your home stays cozy and warm.

Let’s consider the winter best flooring types, as compiled by AA Floors, your leading flooring store in Toronto.

What Are the Best Winter Flooring Options?

Some flooring options to consider for areas that experience cold winters include

1. Carpet: Carpets are perhaps the most obvious and popular flooring option for winter and are often used in family rooms, living areas, and bedrooms.
   When made using high-quality materials, they can last for years and offer many benefits on colder days. Along with protecting your interiors against the cold outside, carpet can insulate the room and prevent heat loss. Furthermore, you can choose to use a carpet pad made of wool or dense foam which will make the floor feel warmer.
   However, carpet is not suitable for areas that experience high moisture levels, like basements, as it will sustain damage with time. So, it’s best to have a word with your flooring provider before choosing the best flooring materials for such areas.
2. Laminate: Laminate Flooring is another suitable flooring option for winter as it can mimic hardwood and thus create a cozy feeling in any space at a fraction of hardwood’s cost.
   Your best bet is to search for planks with a mahogany or walnut finish as their rich colour automatically creates a warm ambience. Laminate is surprisingly warm underfoot, water-resistant, and highly durable. And since it doesn’t contract or expand with changes in temperature, it is suitable in colder climates.
3. Engineered Hardwood: Solid hardwood can expand and shrink with temperature changes which can lead to structural issues over time, such as cupping and buckling. Comparatively, engineered hardwood flooring is more stable in areas with low and high humidity levels.
   However, since engineered hardwood is made with several layers of bonded wood, it can perform well in extremely low temperatures.
   But, remember that your engineered wood flooring is only as warm as your home’s insulation. So, make sure it is packed tightly and is up to date to prevent cold drafts.
4. Vinyl: Vinyl flooring is another great option. Regardless of whether you pick tiles or planks, you will enjoy the modern appearance of porcelain and ceramic without the chill.
   Along with being durable, it is also stable. This is because vinyl planks don’t shrink or expand with changes in weather so you are able to stay warm even when the temperature changes rapidly.
5. Cork:  If you haven’t already heard about the benefits of cork flooring, start looking into it.
   Cork is an amazing product that is hypoallergenic, soft, and eco-friendly. Plus, it is an excellent acoustic, thermal, and vibration insulator. It is available in sheets and tiles and is easier to install than other flooring materials.
   Cork has tiny air pockets that trap heat. This prevents hot air from escaping and cold air from entering. However, our flooring store experts in Toronto recommend choosing a thicker variety as they trap heat better.

You’ll also be surprised how comfortable it is to walk on, making it suitable for people with joint problems.

Additional Tips:

• For additional warmth, consider using area rugs in particularly cold rooms. But make sure to use a gripper or rug pad to prevent slippage.
• Use a suitable underlayment to improve overall warmth and cut down on your energy consumption and utility bills.
• Consider adding an under-floor heating system as it will emit warmth directly into the floor and offer comfortable flooring to walk on barefoot.

Hopefully, you have found something to choose from these winter-friendly flooring options compiled by our Toronto flooring store experts. With the right option, dreary winters become more bearable and comfortable, while you are indoors at least. Regardless of what you choose, you can rest assured knowing your family will be comfortable throughout the season.