Different Types of Flooring: A 2026 Guide

In this guide, you'll read about:

1. Flooring Types at a Glance
2. Types of Wood Flooring Materials
3. Laminate Flooring
4. Luxury Vinyl Plank and Tile
5. Tile Flooring
6. Carpet
7. Cork Flooring
8. Flooring and Sound Insulation
9. How to Choose the Right Flooring for Each Room
10. Find a Flooring Pro on HomeStars
11. FAQs: Common Questions About Flooring Types

Types of Flooring: Key Insights

• Hardwood remains the top choice for resale value in Canadian homes, with solid hardwood lasting 50 to 100 years when properly maintained.
• Luxury vinyl plank is the fastest-growing flooring type in Canada, offering full waterproofing at roughly half the installed cost of hardwood.
• Tile is the most durable option for wet areas, with porcelain being harder and less porous than ceramic.
• The right time to add acoustic underlayment is before the new floor goes down; retrofitting sound control after installation is expensive and disruptive.
• Most flooring projects in Canada cost between $3,000 and $20,000 depending on material, square footage, and subfloor condition.

Flooring Types at a Glance

Every flooring type has different strengths, so each one works best in different rooms. The sections below go into more detail on each one, but here’s a brief overview of flooring types and their common uses:

Flooring type	Best used in
Solid hardwood	Living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms above grade
Engineered hardwood	Main floors, basements, over radiant heat
Laminate	Living rooms, hallways, bedrooms
Luxury vinyl plank/tile	Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, entryways
Ceramic/porcelain tile	Bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms, entryways
Carpet	Bedrooms, home offices, basement rec rooms
Cork	Bedrooms, home offices, playrooms

Types of Wood Flooring Materials

When it comes to hardwood flooring, types of wood and construction method are the two decisions that shape everything else: cost, durability, where you can install it, and how long it lasts. The main choice is between solid and engineered construction, with species selection coming after that.

Solid hardwood

Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood throughout its thickness, typically 3/4 inch. That depth means it can be sanded and refinished multiple times over its lifespan. It works well above grade on plywood subfloors, but it's sensitive to moisture and humidity fluctuations, making it a poor fit for basements or slab-on-grade installations.

Common species in Canada:

• Oak: the most widely installed species; durable, refinishes easily, and holds up in high-traffic areas
• Maple: harder than oak with a tight grain; suits contemporary interiors and busy rooms
• Walnut: rich, dark tones with a softer grain; often used in formal living and dining rooms
• Hickory: pronounced grain variation and high hardness; handles pets and active households well
• Ash: light-coloured with a pronounced grain; a practical alternative to white oak

Cost: solid hardwood typically runs $9 to $25 per sq. ft. installed across Canada, with species and board width being the main price drivers.

Engineered hardwood

Engineered hardwood has a real wood veneer bonded to several layers of plywood or high-density fiberboard. The layered construction reduces movement from humidity, making it the better choice for basements, radiant heat systems, or concrete subfloors. The wear layer on quality engineered planks can be sanded one to three times depending on thickness.

Board cuts affect appearance regardless of whether you choose solid or engineered:

• Plain sawn: traditional grain with cathedral patterns; the most common and affordable cut
• Quarter sawn: tighter grain lines with a distinctive ray pattern; more stable, more expensive
• Rift sawn: consistent linear grain with no cathedrals; the most dimensional stability, highest price

Cost: engineered hardwood runs roughly $10 to $18 per sq. ft. installed in most Canadian markets, with costs on the slightly higher end in Ontario and British Columbia.

For a full breakdown of installed costs by species and region, see the hardwood flooring cost guide.

Find hardwood flooring pros near you

Laminate Flooring

Laminate is a multi-layer synthetic product with a high-density fiberboard core, a photographic layer printed to mimic wood, stone, or tile, and a clear protective wear layer on top. It cannot be sanded or refinished, but modern laminate resists scratches well and is easy to maintain with regular sweeping and occasional damp mopping.

When to use it

Laminate suits main-floor living rooms, hallways, and bedrooms where you want the look of wood without the price. It's not recommended for full bathrooms or laundry rooms unless the product is specifically rated as waterproof, since the fiberboard core will swell if moisture reaches the seams.

What to look for

AC ratings measure wear resistance. For residential use, AC3 is the minimum practical standard; AC4 and AC5 hold up better in homes with pets or heavy foot traffic.

Cost: laminate materials run $1 to $13 per sq. ft. in Canada, with installation typically adding $2 to $4 per sq. ft. The lower end covers basic 7 to 8 mm planks; higher-cost options offer thicker cores and more realistic surface textures.

Luxury Vinyl Plank and Tile

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) are fully waterproof synthetic floors built from multiple PVC layers, including a rigid or semi-rigid core, a photographic film layer, and a protective wear layer. LVP mimics hardwood planks; LVT replicates natural stone or ceramic tile.

Core types

• SPC (stone polymer composite): denser and harder underfoot; handles temperature swings and heavy traffic well; common in condos and rental units
• WPC (wood polymer composite): has a foam underlayer built in; warmer and softer underfoot than SPC; preferred for main living areas

When to use it

LVP and LVT suit kitchens, bathrooms, basements, entryways, and any room where moisture exposure is a regular concern. Because they float over the subfloor, they can often go over existing tile or concrete without removal. For a full cost breakdown, see the flooring cost guide.

Cost: LVP and LVT typically cost $3 to $10 per sq. ft. for materials, with installation adding $2 to $5 per sq. ft. Premium SPC and WPC products sit at the higher end of that range.

Tile Flooring

Tile is one of the most durable flooring options available and the standard choice for bathrooms, kitchens, and mudrooms. It's fully waterproof, easy to clean, and available in a wide range of sizes, finishes, and formats.

Types of floor tiles

Tile type	Best used in
Ceramic	Bathrooms, light-traffic areas
Porcelain	Kitchens, entryways, high-traffic rooms
Natural stone	High-end bathrooms, accent areas
Terrazzo	Statement floors, commercial-style interiors

What to know before installing

Tile requires a flat, stable subfloor. Flexing or movement in the substrate leads to cracked grout and loose tiles over time. Grout lines need periodic sealing to prevent staining, and tile can feel cold underfoot unless radiant heating is installed below.

Cost: ceramic and basic porcelain typically run $4 to $8 per sq. ft. for materials, with installation adding another $4 to $8 per sq. ft. Natural stone and terrazzo sit significantly higher. For a full breakdown, see the tile flooring cost guide.

Carpet

Carpet is the warmest and softest underfoot of all flooring options and remains a practical choice for bedrooms, basement rec rooms, and multi-use family spaces. It also provides the highest natural sound absorption of any floor covering, which is a meaningful benefit in multi-storey homes.

Types of carpet fiber

• Nylon: the most durable synthetic option; resists staining and holds up under heavy foot traffic
• Polyester: softer than nylon with good stain resistance; better suited to lower-traffic rooms
• Wool: natural fiber with excellent resilience and insulation; higher cost, longer lifespan
• Olefin/polypropylene: moisture-resistant and budget-friendly; typically used in basements or outdoor-adjacent spaces

When to use it

Carpet suits bedrooms, home offices, and playrooms where softness and warmth matter more than durability. It's not a good fit for kitchens, bathrooms, or entryways where moisture, spills, and tracked-in dirt are regular concerns.

Cost: carpet installation across Canada typically ranges from $2 to $6 per sq. ft. for materials and labour at the entry level, with premium wool or high-pile options pushing that figure higher. Quality underpad is an additional cost worth factoring in.

Cork Flooring

Cork is harvested from the bark of cork oak trees without felling them, making it one of the few genuinely renewable flooring materials. The cellular structure of cork gives it natural cushioning, thermal insulation, and acoustic dampening properties that most hard surfaces can't match.

When to use it

Cork works well in home offices, playrooms, and bedrooms where standing comfort and sound absorption are priorities. It's moisture-sensitive, so it's not recommended for bathrooms or areas prone to water exposure. Cork can fade with prolonged direct sunlight, which is worth considering in south-facing rooms.

Finishes and durability

Cork flooring is available as glue-down tiles or floating click-lock planks. It requires a protective sealant to resist surface damage; without it, cork will dent, scratch, and absorb spills. With proper maintenance, cork flooring lasts 20 to 30 years.

Cost: cork flooring installation in Canada typically runs $7,000 to $8,000 for an average-sized space, making it a mid-to-upper range option compared to laminate and vinyl.

Flooring and Sound Insulation

Sound performance is often overlooked during a flooring project, but it's one of the hardest things to fix after the fact. In multi-unit buildings and multi-storey homes, the right combination of flooring and underlayment makes a real difference to livability.

Understanding IIC and STC ratings

Two ratings come up when evaluating floor assemblies for sound:

• IIC (Impact Insulation Class): measures how well a floor reduces impact sounds like footsteps, dropped objects, and moving furniture; higher numbers mean less noise transferred to the room below
• STC (Sound Transmission Class): measures reduction of airborne sound such as voices and music; primarily affected by the overall building structure, not just the floor layer

The National Building Code of Canada sets a minimum STC of 50 for partitions between units in multi-family buildings, but does not currently mandate a minimum IIC rating for floors. IIC 55 is recommended for bare floors, and many condo boards and strata associations independently set higher targets, often IIC 60 to 65, as a condition of renovation approval. Some specifications cite IIC 72, though that threshold is typically achieved under lab conditions that don't reflect real-world assemblies. For a deeper look at managing sound in your home, see our guide on how to soundproof a room.

When to address it

The right time to add acoustic underlayment is before the new floor goes down. If you're renovating a condo, upgrading flooring in a multi-storey home, or replacing hard flooring in a room above a bedroom or living space, confirm the underlayment specification before the project starts.

Underlayment by flooring type

• Laminate and LVP: rubber or cork underlayment targeting IIC 60 or higher; some products come with underlayment pre-attached
• Hardwood: manufacturer-approved acoustic underlayment, particularly important over concrete subfloors
• Tile: a sound-dampening membrane embedded in the mortar bed; standard foam underlayment is not compatible with tile
• Carpet: quality underpad significantly improves both comfort and IIC performance; an 8 to 9 mm foam or felt pad makes a measurable difference

Note: Flooring products alone have limited effect on STC ratings. The overall floor-ceiling assembly, including the ceiling below, has a much greater impact on airborne sound transmission than underlayment alone.

How to Choose the Right Flooring for Each Room

No single flooring type works everywhere. Most homes use two or three different materials depending on the function of each space.

Room-by-room guide

Room	Recommended flooring
Living room	Hardwood, engineered hardwood, LVP
Kitchen	LVP, tile
Bathroom	Tile, LVT
Bedroom	Carpet, cork, engineered hardwood
Basement	LVP, tile, engineered hardwood
Entryway/mudroom	Tile, LVP
Home office	Carpet, cork, laminate

Other factors to weigh

A few practical questions narrow down the options beyond room type:

• Pets or young children: prioritize scratch resistance and waterproofing; LVP and high-AC laminate hold up better than hardwood in these conditions
• Radiant heat: engineered hardwood and tile are compatible; solid hardwood and most carpet are not
• Condo or strata building: check the association's IIC requirements before purchasing flooring or underlayment
• Resale within 5 to 10 years: hardwood and quality tile tend to return more value than laminate or sheet vinyl when it comes time to list

Find a Flooring Pro on HomeStars

Most flooring projects benefit from professional installation, particularly for hardwood, tile, and any work requiring subfloor preparation or levelling. Getting the subfloor right before materials go down is the single biggest factor in long-term floor performance.

When you're ready to move forward, you can connect with a Verified flooring contractor near you through HomeStars. Read reviews from homeowners who've had similar work done, compare ratings, and request quotes from local pros before making any decisions.

Find flooring contractors near you

Common Questions About Flooring Types

How do I prepare my home for a flooring installation?

Clear the room of all furniture and remove any area rugs before the installer arrives. For hardwood and engineered hardwood, the materials need to acclimatize in the room for 48 to 72 hours before installation begins, so factor that into your timeline. If you're unsure what prep work your subfloor needs, a flooring pro on HomeStars can assess the space and give you a clear picture before any work starts.

Will new flooring affect my home's resale value?

Hardwood and quality tile are consistently cited by real estate professionals as adding measurable resale value, particularly in competitive markets. Laminate and vinyl are less likely to add value but also less likely to deter buyers. The bigger risk to resale value is mismatched flooring across rooms or a material that looks dated, so consistency of style throughout the main floor matters more than the specific product chosen.

How long does flooring installation take?

A standard room with LVP or laminate can typically be completed in a day. Hardwood installation over a plywood subfloor usually takes two to three days for a 1,000 sq. ft. space, plus additional drying time if a site-applied finish is used. Tile is the most labour-intensive option; a bathroom or kitchen floor can take two to three days once you factor in setting time for the mortar and grout. Post your project on HomeStars and pros in your area can give you a realistic timeline once they've assessed the subfloor condition.

What flooring is best for homes with pets?

Hard surfaces like LVP and tile are the most practical choice for pet owners. LVP resists scratches better than hardwood and is fully waterproof, which matters for accidents. If you prefer hardwood, harder species like hickory or maple hold up better than softer ones like walnut. Carpet traps pet hair and odours and is harder to clean thoroughly, so it's worth avoiding in rooms where pets spend most of their time.

Is there a flooring type that works well with radiant heat?

Engineered hardwood and tile are the most compatible options with in-floor radiant heating systems. Tile conducts heat efficiently and is often the first choice for heated bathroom floors. Engineered hardwood handles the temperature cycles better than solid hardwood, which can gap or warp with repeated expansion and contraction. LVP is compatible with some radiant systems but check the manufacturer's temperature limits before installing. A flooring pro on HomeStars can advise on which products are rated for use with your specific heating system.

How do I know if my subfloor needs repairs before new flooring goes down?

Signs that your subfloor needs attention include squeaks, soft spots, visible unevenness, or areas that flex underfoot. For tile installations, even minor flex will eventually crack the grout. For hardwood, a subfloor that isn't flat to within 3/16 of an inch over 10 feet can cause gaps and movement over time. If you're unsure, have a flooring pro assess it before materials are ordered as subfloor repairs are much easier to budget for upfront than to fix after installation.

Can flooring choices affect indoor air quality?

Some flooring products emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from adhesives, finishes, or the core material itself, particularly in the period after installation. Look for products with low-VOC or no-VOC certifications, such as FloorScore or GREENGUARD Gold, if indoor air quality is a concern. Hard surface floors like tile and hardwood don't trap allergens the way carpet does, which is worth considering for households with asthma or allergies. Ventilating the space well during and after installation helps regardless of the product chosen.