Choosing the best flooring products is largely a process of considering the purpose and function of the room or space in which the flooring products will be used. This is a crucial step because there are so many products on the market to choose from and there are also many products that are inappropriate for certain uses. For example, flooring products that are delicate or easily stained are bad choices for kitchens, garages, and bedrooms, or playrooms that will be used by children. On the other hand, hard, stain-resistant flooring products may not be appropriate for rooms such as dens and living rooms that are intended to make the inhabitants feel comfortable and cozy.
Another consideration when choosing flooring products is insulation. If the room that is to receive a new floor is, for example, above an unheated garage, it may be important to choose a kind of flooring that will keep the room warm. On the other hand, if the room or area that is going to be re-floored is in an area that easily becomes too hot for comfort, such as a kitchen or porch, it may be best to use a product that will not hold excessive amounts of heat in the room.
A big consideration for some people is whether flooring products will help to muffle sound. A tiled hallway, for example, will echo the sound of every footstep taken by a person wearing hard shoes. A wooden hallway will do the same, but to a lesser extent. A carpeted hallway, on the other hand, will muffle the sounds of footsteps. This is why most hotel hallways are carpeted.
Some people use cork flooring in order to insulate sound. One of the benefits of cork is that it can be treated in a manner that makes it stain resistant. This is good for areas that need sound insulation but might also be high-traffic areas that are likely to receive spills and stains. Although there are many kinds of stain resistant carpeting, some people prefer to use cork.
There are also modular flooring products. These kinds of flooring products, such as carpet tiles, can be easily moved, replaced, and formed into new patterns depending on the aesthetics and needs of the people using the space. This also allows for a tile-like pattern in fabric based flooring materials.