Real Estate

Advice on Hardwood in bedrooms or not

  • Last Updated:
  • Sep 6th, 2019 5:00 pm
Deal Guru
Feb 9, 2009
12381 posts
11307 upvotes
Hardwood 100%. Carpet is so 1980s.

And your kids are getting older so I don’t expect them to ruin their floors.
Sr. Member
Sep 11, 2017
548 posts
404 upvotes
Hardwood with a quality rug. Easy to take out if down the road you just want hardwood.
Sr. Member
Dec 28, 2010
919 posts
412 upvotes
Toronto
We ripped off the cheap laminate that our builder gave us in our condo and went with luxury vinyl - in living and kitchen area. I believe it was from Torlys , and there are lots of choices now.
It's advertised as zero wood particles. No squeaking so far. Not much cold or warm. Feels between Laminate and wood. Kid has dropped many things on it,
So far happy with it.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Dec 27, 2009
7941 posts
5483 upvotes
Victoria, BC
abc123yyz wrote: So do all hardwood? Only reason was thinking carpet in bedrooms is because it is softer on the feet, sound dampening, and also kids don’t get hurt if they are play fighting etc.

If kids were older I would do hardwood for sure. But not sure what to do! So torn.
We have all hardwood. I never find the floors too cold on the feet (and we're in Ottawa).
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Dec 27, 2009
7941 posts
5483 upvotes
Victoria, BC
TuxedoBlack wrote: Carpet won't scratch and it's a LOT easier to get dirt/stains off of the carpet.
I've never had a stain on hardwood, but I can't say the same for carpet. In my experience hardwood is far easier to keep clean.
Deal Addict
Nov 6, 2009
1127 posts
217 upvotes
Hardwood.
If you opt for hardwood instead of carpet, isn’t the builder price better?
Also do you upstairs corridor hardwood to match your stairs. Bedrooms can wait or be done at same time.
Btw kids won’t hurt from hardwood.
Also before buying, do lay down the hardwood and walk bare feet, helps to pick the best for your feet and eyes. Imo bare feet exercise applies to all floor types.
Deal Addict
Apr 21, 2014
2321 posts
1106 upvotes
Alberta
sonajatt wrote: Hardwood.
If you opt for hardwood instead of carpet, isn’t the builder price better?
Also do you upstairs corridor hardwood to match your stairs. Bedrooms can wait or be done at same time.
Btw kids won’t hurt from hardwood.
Also before buying, do lay down the hardwood and walk bare feet, helps to pick the best for your feet and eyes. Imo bare feet exercise applies to all floor types.
Builder wanted $51 k for whole house hardwood. I’m doing it for $20k.
Sr. Member
Aug 27, 2004
768 posts
198 upvotes
Cyberspace
abc123yyz wrote: Any thoughts?
Looks like a nice big house :-)

2 years ago, we moved into a house with hardwood in MBR, hallways, carpet in secondary bedrooms.
Two BDRs are above the garage so tend to be a bit cooler.
The age of our kids in the secondaries when we moved in were 2, 5, 5, 13, & 16.
The younger kids lay on the carpeted bedroom floor playing often.
The carpet definitely helps with sound transfer versus the hardwood.
I don't prefer wall-to-wall carpet in younger kids bedrooms due to the number of times we've had to attempt to clean puke out of the carpet.
(In our previous home, we had replaced all of the upstairs carpet with cork which is about the only thing I miss from that house. :-) )

I didn't think I would but I do like hardwood in the MBR.
Aspiring Old Guy
Deal Addict
Apr 21, 2014
2321 posts
1106 upvotes
Alberta
We have decided to stick with the original plan and have hardwood everywhere. There will not be any carpet in the house unless it’s an area rug. We were able to work it into the budget. Let you know how things turn out. May post pics if people want to see the before and after.
Banned
Nov 17, 2014
942 posts
763 upvotes
Ontario
I've never noticed our hardwood to be cold on the feet. On a 2nd storey that shouldn't be an issue at all. We do have carpet in our basement where I would expect hardwood would be cold on the feet with cold cement under it.
Jr. Member
Jun 6, 2018
105 posts
50 upvotes
No basement? And concrete underneath?
Carpet is most forgiving on an uneven surface.
The big issue is getting the floor as smooth as possible for any hard surface flooring.
The next issue is if there is a way for it to be installed over concrete.
I have heard of hardwood being glued joint to joint to create a floating floor instead of plywood between the concrete and flooring.
Personally, I went with luxury vinyl as it was a click system and had rubber on the bottom which reduced the noise transfer without having to use an underlay.
My other reason is concern with moisture coming through the slab which may cause swelling of the wood.
My plan is to get some area rugs made from luxury carpet. Less expensive then high end rugs but still very very nice under the toes.
Deal Fanatic
Dec 12, 2009
6145 posts
3616 upvotes
Toronto
You might regret hardwood in the kitchen. They have some nice vinyls these days.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Dec 27, 2009
7941 posts
5483 upvotes
Victoria, BC
hhuggles wrote: No basement? And concrete underneath?
Carpet is most forgiving on an uneven surface.
The big issue is getting the floor as smooth as possible for any hard surface flooring.
The next issue is if there is a way for it to be installed over concrete.
I have heard of hardwood being glued joint to joint to create a floating floor instead of plywood between the concrete and flooring.
Personally, I went with luxury vinyl as it was a click system and had rubber on the bottom which reduced the noise transfer without having to use an underlay.
My other reason is concern with moisture coming through the slab which may cause swelling of the wood.
My plan is to get some area rugs made from luxury carpet. Less expensive then high end rugs but still very very nice under the toes.
We live in Ottawa and have a concrete basement floor and no problems with that. No carpet anywhere in our house.
Sr. Member
Sep 16, 2010
996 posts
401 upvotes
Toronto
abc123yyz wrote: We have decided to stick with the original plan and have hardwood everywhere. There will not be any carpet in the house unless it’s an area rug. We were able to work it into the budget. Let you know how things turn out. May post pics if people want to see the before and after.
Wise choice, OP. Hardwood everywhere and use area rugs and playmats for specific play areas. Good luck!
Jr. Member
Jun 6, 2018
105 posts
50 upvotes
We live in Ottawa and have a concrete basement floor and no problems with that. No carpet anywhere in our house.[/quote]

To each their own.
I'm in Toronto. Our house was built in 1952.
The water table is high in my area. We have a vapour barrier under the basement laminate. We have efflorescence around the perimeter of that room which is clear evidence of moisture coming through the slab.
I also have a wife , an engineer in building science that also knows the concrete floor in our penthouse condo will allow moisture through from any point of entry. Hense, there we went luxury vinyl to avoid vapour barrier and underpad with the added bonus of exceeding the condo boards minimum requirements for sound dampening so our neighbors below will be unlikely to hear our "goings on".

Personally, my preference would have been a porcelain floating floor held in place by a magnetic design but the floor would have to be nearly perfectly level as porcelain will break with load on an uneven surface.
Deal Addict
Apr 21, 2014
2321 posts
1106 upvotes
Alberta
I now live in Nevada, (north part so does get all 4 seasons). No basements here and the concrete is post-tension slab. Which are pretty flat. I went over to my new neighbors last week, they did hardwood on main floor and it is glued down. It didn’t feel too hard or cold. We will do glue down in main floor and nail down upstairs.

The glue will be high quality with a vapor barrier built in.

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