5 (incredibly) low maintenance flooring ideas

The term “low maintenance flooring” means something different to everyone. For some, it translates into a floor that is durable and tough. “Low maintenance” means the toughest floors that can take all the heavy foot (and paw) traffic and spills that life can throw at it. For others, low maintenance is synonymous with easy-to-clean; these floors can be quickly and completely cleaned on those rare occasions when they need a mop or scrub. On top of all that, low maintenance flooring has to be attractive—a floor that a homeowner or business owner can be proud of.

Laminate

Laminate flooring is one of the most durable hardwood floors on the market, ideal for the most heavily-trafficked areas. Newer laminate floors are also manufactured to be water-resistant, able to handle messy spills and pet accidents without damage or stains. It’s also easy-to-clean, needing only a regular sweeping or dry mop and an occasional deep clean. These floors bear an extremely close resemblance to wood floors, with a wood look that can fool even the savviest of guests.

Luxury vinyl

This floor has everything a homeowner or business owner should

expect from low maintenance flooring: water resistance, durability, and tough enough for high-traffic areas. Luxury vinyl floors are also incredibly easy-to-clean, requiring only a regular sweeping or damp mopping. When it comes to attractiveness, luxury vinyl floors are striking and come in a variety of styles and colors (head into a local flooring store to see luxury vinyl samples). Luxury vinyl floors typically resemble wood or tile floors (so closely it’s hard to tell the difference). Luxury vinyl plank floors can also be installed as do-it-yourself project.

Porcelain tile

Porcelain tile has all the properties of a low maintenance floor. Porcelain tile is water- and mildew-resistant, ideal for spaces with high-humidity (i.e. bathrooms, pet grooming facilities, salons, laundry rooms, etc.) This tile is so water-resistant that some products can be installed outdoors on porches and patios. For cleaning, porcelain tile only requires a regular sweeping or damp mopping. Possibly best yet, porcelain tile is a natural conductor of heat and is an ideal flooring to install over radiant heating.

Minimal grout lines

One of the best low-maintenance flooring ideas is not a flooring

product. Grout lines can be a source of frustration for homeowners and business owners because it can be difficult to clean and, when light-colored, can stain easily. To ensure that flooring is low-maintenance, ask a flooring pro about flooring products that can be installed with minimal grout or without grout, such as laminate and luxury vinyl flooring. If the flooring of choice is a floor that needs to be installed with grout, select a darker colored grout that can hide stains.

Sheet vinyl

Sheet vinyl checks off all the boxes on the low-maintenance flooring checklist: durable, attractive, easy-to-clean, and water-resistant. This floor can hold up in high-traffic spaces for years, and still looks great years after install even with extensive foot and paw traffic. Sheet vinyl comes in a variety of styles and designs that can fit in any home or commercial space.