Best Flooring for Home Offices

According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, up to 35% of employed people do some or all of their work at home. Unsurprisingly, it's becoming imperative to create cozy and functional workspaces within homes that inspire productivity and efficiency.

Creating a productive work environment in your home involves selecting a dedicated space that you furnish and equip in a way that minimizes distractions and enhances comfort during your working hours. One of the significant decisions you must make when designing your home office is the right flooring. 

The Best Flooring for Home Offices

Flooring is a crucial decision because it determines the ambience, comfort and noise levels in your workspace. Here's a guide to choosing the best flooring for your home office. 

1. Carpeting

Carpeting is a classic office flooring choice that adds warmth and noise-dampening to your space. It's the best choice if you're looking for flooring that's easy to install. It provides a soft and cozy underfoot that maximizes your comfort and minimizes fatigue while you're sitting, standing and walking throughout your workday.

Carpet has some distinct benefits that make it a good option for home offices, like:

• Superior sound absorption properties that create a quieter workspace, especially when paired with heavy padding underneath
• Various color options, textures, sizes, shapes and patterns, allowing you to customize your home office
• More affordable than other flooring options, such as vinyl and hardwood flooring

However, carpeting is high maintenance and requires regular cleaning to keep it looking its best for longer. You should also consider the following before adding carpet to high-traffic areas:

• Carpet is susceptible to odors if it absorbs moisture, spills and pet urine.
• Carpet can stain from spilled coffee, grease and other common household products.
• While carpet may last a lifetime, it shows signs of wear and tear more than other flooring options.
• Fibers easily trap allergens like pollen, dust, dirt and pet dander, which aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions.

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2. Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Luxury vinyl flooring is a synthetic material that mimics traditional, natural materials like hardwood and stone. It's available as individual tiles (LVT) or long planks (LVP), making installation easy. The flooring's cushioned backing layer provides a comfortable and quiet underfoot.

LVT and LVP are available in a variety of colors, styles, designs, finishes and patterns, allowing you to customize your office to align with your style. There are many advantages of installing luxury vinyl flooring in home offices:

• The protective top layer makes it resistant to scuffs and scratches.
• It's sturdy enough to withstand heavy foot traffic and swiveling office chairs.
• Its excellent thermal properties ensure your home office is warm all year round.
• With the right underlayment, luxury vinyl flooring provides sound absorption and noise-dampening.
• It's more affordable than natural flooring materials like ceramic tiling or hardwood flooring.

Some challenges you may encounter when you install luxury vinyl flooring include:

• It requires regular cleaning to keep it looking good for longer.
• Hard surface flooring means you may tire easily if you stand for too long.

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3. Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is made from multiple layers of composite synthetic materials. It consists of a backup plywood or fiberboard layer, a backing layer for increased protection and insulation, a design layer that mimics any natural flooring materials and a protective layer that minimizes damage. It comes in planks that easily interlock to create a floating floor, making installation straightforward.

You can expect laminate flooring to last for decades and withstand the rigors of a busy space. Features of laminate flooring that make it perfect for home offices include:

• Highly resistant to scratches, scuffs and stains
• Incredibly easy to clean and maintain 
• Fade and moisture-resistant 
• Excellent heat conductor, ensuring warmer indoor temperatures during colder months
• Easy to install, using a click-and-lock technique
• A non-fibrous and smooth surface that prevents the accumulation of allergens

Some factors to be aware of include:

• It may sound hollow.
• Exposure to moisture may cause laminate flooring to swell.
• It cannot be refinished or rejuvenated when it starts showing signs of wear and tear.

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4. Hardwood Flooring

Solid or engineered hardwood flooring is ideal for home offices in mild climates. Solid hardwood flooring is a natural material with unmatched beauty, while engineered hardwood consists of composite and natural materials. Hardwood flooring creates a beautiful, durable and comfortable foundation for your home office that may also increase your home's resale value.

It boasts versatility, as it comes from different tree species, plank sizes, stains and surface treatments. Hardwood flooring has many benefits when installed in home offices, including:

• Durable and long-lasting material that lasts many years
• Resistant to scratches, stains and dents
• Creates an elegant and professional look
• Doesn't trap allergens like pet dander, pollen and dust

Some disadvantages of hardwood flooring in home offices include:

• More expensive than other flooring materials
• Complex and time-consuming installation process
• Requires regular cleaning and occasional refinishing
• Susceptible to moisture damage

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Tips for Selecting the Right Flooring for Your Home Office

Your home office floors are the foundation for decorating this space to help you maximize productivity and efficiency. The best flooring options for your home office should account for the following:

• Noise levels: You need flooring that dampens noise and absorbs sound to minimize distractions and stress, making your office ideal for video chats and conference calls.
• Ease of maintenance: Save time spent cleaning your office for more important work tasks by choosing an easy-to-maintain option, like laminate or luxury vinyl flooring.
• Resistance to damage: You must also consider the amount of traffic you expect in the space and the frequency of use to ensure you choose the most hardwearing surface. Whether or not you'll receive guests in your home office, these floors see a lot of use and need to withstand wear, tear, scuffs and scratches from swiveling chairs, dropped objects and spilled liquids. 

While you may want your home office to feel and look different from the rest of your home, you also want it to complement and flow well with your home's existing styling and interior design choices. Area Rugs are a great addition to your home office because they complement existing flooring and add warmth and comfort to your workspace. They absorb sound, minimizing noise in the room and reducing the impact of office furniture on your flooring. 

Shop Flooring and Rugs for Your Home Office at Carpet & Tile Mart

Investing in high-quality flooring and rugs lets you enjoy an ambient and productive workspace. At Carpet & Tile Mart, we offer high-quality flooring products and rugs to spruce up your home office. We have a wide selection of flooring products, including carpeting, luxury vinyl, laminate and hardwood.

Contact us today or visit one of our stores to have one of our experts help you select the best flooring for your project.