By room
Every room asks something different of a floor. Here’s what, and which floors can handle it.
Living room
The largest floor in the house and the one you see most. Choose for the light in the room and the way your furniture sits. Long planks running the length of the room make it calmer.
Kitchen
Spilled water, grease, chairs sliding back and forth. Choose a floor that is water resistant for at least 24 hours and has a usage class of 32 or higher.
Hall
Wet coats and sand under shoes. A hard-wearing, water-resistant floor, ideally laid along the length of the hallway: that saves cutting.
Bedroom
Lighter traffic, so a more affordable floor is fine. Upstairs, an acoustic underlay makes a big difference to the room below.
Office
Office chairs on castors are hard on a floor. Choose class 32 or higher and put a chair mat under the chair.