Scratch Resistant Flooring: Which Material Is The Best
Life is surely full of unexpected events, especially with kids & pets in the house and things dropping all the time. The element of your home interiors that takes the most damage are the floors. To keep your flooring in pristine condition can prove to be cumbersome for a busy household.
The flooring can get scratches and dents which can ruin the aesthetic appeal of the overall interior decor. So, what to do? Well, you can opt for scratch-resistant flooring but how to know which material is the best? Well, today, we will bring to you an answer in this blog. We will tell you all about scratch-resistant flooring & which material is the best.
Best Scratch Resistant Flooring Options
You must choose the right floor type for your home from a certified flooring company that can assist you as well. It must not only be aesthetically pleasing for the interior design but offer longevity for the living spaces..
1. Hardwood Flooring/ Wooden Flooring
Hardwood floors are hailed as the champions of flooring due to their natural warmth and high resilience. Still, this doesn’t mean that all the hardwood floors are scratch-resistant. There are special hardwoods like oak, maple, and cherry that are known for their immense durability. They feature high scratch resistance and the additional finish for wooden flooring is also what adds to scratch resistance.
Pros
- Classic & elegant flooring option
- You can refinish it for a new look
- Adds to the resale value of the home
Cons
- It is a bit more expensive than other flooring
- Can get moisture damage
2. Laminate Flooring
The reasons are its high durability & low cost. Laminate floors feature multiple layers with the main HDF (High-density Fibreboard) core. Then there is a photographic layer which gives laminate its stone or wood-like appearance. The third one is the Wear Layer, which is the main barrier against moisture & scratch resistance. This makes laminate floors ideal for busy households with lots of foot traffic.
Pros
- It can resist scratches from pets’ paws & walking
- It is available for a very low price
- With easy to install mechanism, it is the perfect flooring
Cons
- You can’t have it refinished
- It’s less authentic than natural wood flooring
3. Vinyl Tile or Plank Flooring
Vinyl flooring has been in use for decades now for homes & offices. It is available in 2 distinct types; LVP (Luxury Vinyl Planks) and LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tiles). Both these types only differ in their shapes; one is large planks & other in tile form. Other than that, they both feature high durability while offering maximum aesthetic appeal.
They are both designed in a multi-layer form with a strong wear & tear layer. This wear layer makes floors resistant to stains & spills, scuff marks from shoes & pet paws, and scratches. Vinyl flooring can be installed in bathrooms, kitchens, and other busy foot traffic parts of your home.
Pros
- It is extremely scratch-resistant and has high durability
- Vinyl flooring is known for its moisture resistance
- The price for vinyl floors is very low
Cons
- Vinyl flooring is flexible which makes it prone to dents
4. Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo floors are ideal for homeowners that focus on sustainability & eco-friendliness. As for the scratch resistance part; flooring made from woven bamboo strands is well known. To make this flooring, bamboo is first shredded in fibers and then mixed with resins. A final compress is done of these two to form a material that is even harder than most hardwoods.
Pros
- It is a sustainable & eco-friendly flooring option
- It has high durability for years-long use
- Your floors get that material warmth
Cons
- It is highly susceptible to moisture damage
5. Ceramic Or Tile Flooring
Tile Flooring has two distinct types of materials for tiles; ceramic & porcelain. Both these tile flooring types are known for their durability and are scratch-resistant. Porcelain tiles are particularly dense and hard with high resilience to wear & tear.
You can have these tiles in varying colors, textures, and design options. White tile flooring is regarded as premier for scratch resistance. A tip for long-lasting use is to maintain your tile flooring’s grout lines.
Pros
- You get highly durable & scratch-resistant flooring
- It is water-resistant
- There are a lot of design options to choose from
Cons
- It can shatter under high impacts
6. Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is made from the bark which is gathered from the Cork Oak Tree. This makes it a highly sustainable and eco-friendly flooring choice. Cork floors are soft to walk on and feature natural warmth. Plus, they even absorb the sound from walking.
Cork is a durable material but when it comes to scratches and dents, it is a little bit on the lower scale as compared to our other flooring picks. Still, you can have it refinished multiple times to improve its scratch resistance.
Pros
- It feels soft underfoot
- It is an eco-friendly & sustainable
- It offers natural mold & moisture resistance
Cons
- Cork flooring requires regular maintenance
7. SPC Flooring
SPC (Stone Plastic Composite) flooring is an innovative and highly durable flooring option, renowned for its exceptional scratch resistance. It combines limestone and stabilizers to create a remarkably sturdy core, making it an ideal choice for both residential and commercial spaces.
SPC flooring features a wear layer that is specially designed to resist scratches and scuffs, providing a long-lasting, pristine appearance. The rigid core ensures that the flooring remains stable and resistant to impacts, further enhancing its scratch-resistant properties.
The top layer is made of high-quality vinyl, which not only adds to the aesthetic appeal with realistic wood or stone looks but also contributes to the floor’s durability. The wear layer is often enhanced with UV coating or additional protective layers, ensuring that SPC flooring can withstand heavy foot traffic and resist everyday wear and tear.
Pros
- SPC flooring is highly durable and can withstand high traffic and impacts without damage.
- The waterproof nature of SPC flooring makes it suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, and other moisture-prone areas.
- Often features a click-lock installation system, making it easy to install over existing floors.
Cons
- Unlike hardwood, SPC flooring cannot be refinished; however, its durability means it rarely needs replacement.
Our Final Thoughts
With this flooring list in your hand filled with all the information you need to know, you will have it easy to find the perfect scratch-resistant flooring. Just make sure to keep your budget in mind when choosing the right flooring material. Remember, regular maintenance is the key to having long-lasting flooring.
