When it comes to planning a renovation, one of the big decisions you’ll have to make is with regards to your flooring. Should you go with vinyl or tiles? Are ceramic tiles better, or porcelain ones?

In this article, we discuss the pros and cons of each option, so you can decide which to use in your home.

Flooring Options In Singapore

Before we go into further detail, here’s a quick summary of the different flooring options, and their associated costs.

1. Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is highly popular with homeowners, because it’s durable and affordable at the same time. This type of flooring is made by compressing layers of synthetic materials together.

There are many different vinyl designs, making it a versatile choice. Your vinyl might not even look like vinyl – there are some vinyl designs that mimic the look of real wood exceptionally well.

2. Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is made of a blend of wood and plastic; depending on what design you choose, it can look like wood, stone or ceramic. Like vinyl, there are tons of different laminate designs that you can choose from.

However, because laminate is made with wood, too much moisture in the environment can cause laminate floors to swell. Laminate floors may also discolour with age.

3. Tiled Flooring

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are a popular choice for the kitchen or bathroom because they’re durable, resistant to moisture, and easy to clean.

Between ceramic and porcelain tiles, ceramic tiles are easier and cheaper to install – so we’d recommend these for homeowners on a budget.

On the flip side, tiles have a tendency to chip if you slam or drop heavy objects onto them. So make sure you’re careful with your tiles to prolong their lifespan!

4. Marble Flooring

There’s a certain timelessness and elegance associated with marble – no one can deny that.

The advantage of marble flooring is that it’s cool to the touch, which is a great bonus in a warm country like Singapore. Having marble flooring may also increase the resale value of your home.

However, marble flooring is significantly more expensive than all your other options, and needs regular maintenance. (More specifically: you need to polish marble floors regularly, and seal them at least once a year).

5. Parquet Flooring

Do you know the difference between parquet flooring and regular wood flooring? Parquet is made from wood, and it’s arranged geometrically in order to achieve a certain decorative effect.

The main draw of parquet is that it’s aesthetically appealing. (On a side note: because it’s a hard material, it also has noise absorption properties).

However, those who have parquet floors will have to do a lot of maintenance work, as parquet isn’t resistant to moisture or humidity.

6. Cement Screed

If you’re going for an industrial vibe, it’s a no-brainer – you’ll probably go with cement screed. This is made of a mixture of sand and cement.

Like marble, cement screed is cool to the touch. This material isn’t very durable – it can be stained easily, and may take on hairline cracks with wear and tear. It’s up to you to decide if you’re fine with the raw, unfinished look (cracks and all), or if you want to invest extra time and energy into maintaining your cement screed floor.

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