Flooring comes in four main varieties: hardwood flooring, carpeting, sheet vinyl flooring and laminate flooring. For many reasons, hardwood flooring makes the best choice:

Superior Value of Hardwood Flooring
Of the four flooring choices, only hardwood flooring will add value to your home-substantial value. If you sell your house someday, you probably won't recoup any money you've spent on carpeting, laminate or vinyl flooring. Here is why.

Carpeting
Carpeting can easily be more expensive in the long run than hardwood flooring. Carpets wear out and must be replaced, especially in high traffic areas like stairs, hallways, doorways and children's rooms. They also get dirty and stained. Over time, the cost of installing two sets of wall-to-wall carpet will equal the cost of a one-time quality hardwood floor installation.

Laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is not much different. It's a multi-layer synthetic flooring product, fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood or stone, with a photographic applique layer under a clear protective layer. Laminates add no value to a home. They can also fade in direct light, warp in heat or when exposed to moisture, and, like carpeting, they have to be replaced.