A dip in your pool or lake may be just what you need on a hot summer
day, but it’s definitely not what the flooring in your home or lake cabin needs. Wood and laminate floors can warp or stain from water puddles, leaving you with a damaged floor (but a cooler body!). So what’s the right floor for a home (or pool house or lake cabin or…) by the ultimate swimming spot—a pool or a lake?
Floors perfect for homes on the water (or with an awesome pool!)
Luxury vinyl
Luxury vinyl is highly durable, and can take all the puddles and drips that come from a day of swimming. In addition to being incredibly water friendly, modern luxury vinyl is available in a tile or wood look, can be installed with or without grout, and can be a DIY project (depending on the product).
Tile
Porcelain tile is water, odor and mildew resistant, making it ideal for homes on a lake or with pool areas—plus it’s beautiful and comes in a variety of tile patterns and colors. Tile can be installed as a do-it-
yourself project, and can be extremely affordable. If you’re worried about cold tile under your feet, tile can be installed over radiant floor heating.
Sheet vinyl
Affordable and water resistant, vinyl sheet flooring is durable, can handle just about any amount of water from your lake or pool. Vinyl sheet flooring comes in many different colors and patterns, making it ideal for matching in with your existing home decor.
Carpet tiles
Because you don’t install carpet tiles with a pad, they are not as soft as traditional carpet but are still soft to the feet and easy to clean. If a carpet square gets dirty, just pop it up, and replace it with another carpet tile. If you want a bright flooring, look for carpet tiles in a bright pattern to add interest to your area.
Tips to keep your flooring nice if your home is by a lake or a pool
Put down rugs by the door.
Rugs catch all the water, gravel, and sand that you, your kids, and pets can throw at it. Put a rug down by the door nearest to the pool or lake so the water doesn’t get tracked in. A long runner or wide rug is ideal for homes where many pets or family members all come in from the pool or lake at the same time.
Dry off as much as possible BEFORE you come inside.
This is not always the easiest to remember, but try to dry off yourself, your kids, and your pets BEFORE heading inside. Taking this simple step prevents puddles that can damage your flooring—and keeps you from frantically trying to figure out how to fix the problem.
Have towels available ASAP.
Keep towels available by your pool or inside (as close to the pool entrance as possible) so that everyone having fun in the pool or lake can dry off BEFORE they come inside.
Ask questions.
If you have any questions about keeping your floors in peak shape, how to clean your floors without voiding the warranty, or how to avoid damage from pool or lake water, don’t hesitate to ask the experts at your local flooring store. They’ll give you the advice you need to keep your floors looking nice while still enjoying those summer dips in the pool or lake.
