Carpets versus Wood Laminate Flooring?

Question

My husband and I have been arguing for what feels like forever about flooring. Our carpets are old and disgusting, and so is the padding. I want to replace them with wood laminate (easier to take care of than real hardwood, and I've seen some nicer ones that I really like) but he wants carpeting.

The concerns are:

Temperature: we live in CO and the house does get cold, while area rugs will be fine for the majority of the room I do have to admit that the rooms will probably be colder...

Children: he thinks they'll get hurt running around on wood floors, since small children tend to fall. I think this is a bit helicopter-y.

Cats and Dogs: seriously, I think this is the best reason to not have carpets! They RUIN them. They scratch them (declawing is not an option, don't even ask), barf on them, tear them away from the wall if they get accidently locked in a room, or have potty accidents! Aren't small children going to barf on them and have potty training accidents, too?

Cleanliness: I think wood is easier to clean, my friend argues carpet is easier to clean. However, when I sweep and mop the floor, it takes longer than vaccuuming and is more labor, but it's cleaner to me than the vacuuming! Vacuuming doesn't clean the carpet padding, and it doesn't get out stains and gunk. Steam cleaning carpet is a pain in the behind, and takes far longer to do than mopping.

Appearance: I love wood floors, he thinks living spaces need carpeting. It's all preferance on this one, so it's a bit difficult to compromise on it.

So, if you have an opinion, or can help me see the pros for carpeting, or a different viewpoint or something, please do! I obviously want what I want, but I don't want to just steamroll the husband (especially if it turns out to be a bad decision afterwards, hah!). Thanks!

Answer 1

We used Nafco flooring. They have product that looks like plank wood flooring. It's really thick vinyl. It really does look like wood without the scratching from pets, it's softer for the kids yet it easily cleans up like wood (easier). I still have carpet left in two spare bedrooms and can't wait to replace them. I use a vacuum on it before I mop and swiffer pet hair up in between times to keep it clean. I have area rugs in the family and living room to add a little softness around. Good luck.

Answer 2

There's definitely pros & cons for both.

Why not get him to agree to change one room to wood laminate, then see how it goes from there?

I think carpet works best in bedrooms, and wood is definitely what's needed for the kitchen, dining, and entry areas.  But as far as the living room and such, that's up to your preference.

Answer 3

Allergies are a very good reason to get rid of carpeting.

I have just removed the bedroom and living room carpets from my home and the fresh smell is very noted. My carpets were old and the under pad was falling a part.

Vacuuming only cleans the carpet on the out side surface.

Answer 4

I would tend to agree with you on this subject for many reasons.  

Tell your husband to think of carpeting as Vegas: with pets and kids, whatever happens on the carpeting STAYS IN the carpeting.  Even though we clean (vacuum, steam clean, etc.), carpeting still holds a lot of residual crud.  I think THAT is potentially more harmful to the well-being of a child vs. a hard floor to fall on.  (P.S. Don't remind your husband that the walls are hard, too ... he'll want to carpet them, as well).  I realize you live in a cooler/cold climate, but you're not suggesting concrete or stone tile, after all.  

Area rugs are going to be your best solution/compromise.  My parents had hardwood floors, but their "area" rugs were room-sized.  They bought pad remnants from the carpet store so the feel of the room was more insulated.  Since furniture pieces held the rug in place, we didn't trip over the edges of it.  The pad was replaced every so often and the rug could be cleaned from both sides.

Another person had answered that carpeting was good in bedrooms; I would agree.  Maybe your husband can have his carpeting 'fix' elsewhere in the house.  Bedrooms don't sustain the same level of use/abuse like 'public' areas of the home do, so carpeting those spaces would make more sense.

Good luck with your decision-making process.