When it comes to flooring, three popular options are timber, carpet, and tiles, and each has its own pros and cons. If you are renovating your home or designing one from scratch, then you might not intend to spend much time thinking about your flooring, but there are at least a few questions you need to answer before you make your final decision. This will ensure that your flooring is completely suited to you and your current habits, and you won't have to change anything to enjoy your home the way you want. Here are three of those things that you need to consider when choosing your flooring.

Shoes On Or Off?

A lot of Americans prefer to keep their shoes on in the house, and it is far more common to see this occur than in other countries. If you fit into this category, then you need to ensure that the rooms with the most foot traffic, like your living room, kitchen, and hallways, are all either tile or wood flooring. Not only will they last a lot longer when trodden on by shoes all the time, but they will also not pick up as much dirt or stain as easily as carpet will. You can still have carpet in other rooms, such as your bedroom, but keep in mind where you spend most of your time with shoes on before you make a final decision.

Maintenance

All three of these most popular types of flooring are quite easy to keep well maintained, but there certainly is a difference in the frequency and level of involvement between the maintenance required. Carpet needs to be vacuumed on a weekly or biweekly basis so that it does not become overloaded with dirt and grime, which can lead to it smelling and falling apart quicker. Wood flooring can also be vacuumed or swept, but it does not have the same weakness as carpet and can last for decades with minimal scuffing, if any. Tiled floors require mopping most of the time, which is different but also provides a very clean look. It all depends on which type of maintenance you can put up with and which you absolutely hate.

Pets 

If you have pets, particularly dogs and cats, then carpet is the most frustrating flooring surface to deal with. Little accidents left by your pets can really stink up the carpet and get deeply ingrained in the material, requiring professional cleaning to get rid of it. Tiled flooring can also be a little annoying because although it is easy to clean, their nails clicking and clacking every time they walk can become mind-numbing. Wooden flooring is a healthy medium between the two, and pets find it very relaxing and easy to get comfortable on as well.