By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team

 

When it comes to materials for your floors, Joe Szabo and Scottsdale Real Estate Team offers this helpful comparative analysis.

Material Options – Hard Floors

 

Hard floors help create a healthy home environment because they don’t have any fibers to trap dirt, germs, or dust mites.  Hard floors are usually cold, but can be warmed by the use of rugs or under-floor heating systems.

Hard floors are durable, but also tend to be heavy and amplify sound.  Hard floors aren’t resilient; things dropped on them will easily break.

 

• Brick:

 

1)               Waterproof.

2)               Slow to warm but retains heat well.

3)               Requires little maintenance.

4)               Requires professional installation and solid subfloor for support.

 

• Natural Stone:

 

1)               Usually identified by the location where it’s found, such as Portland (Maine) limestone or York (Yorkshire, England) sandstone.

2)               Can be cut with a machine or hand-worked.

3)               Can look formal (marble) or rustic (irregular slate).

4)               Can be slippery, especially when polished.

5)               Often expensive due to finishing and transport costs.

6)               Professional installation usually necessary.

 

• Reclaimed Terra-Cotta and Stone:

1)               Warm, antique appearance.

2)               Minimal maintenance.

3)               Expensive.

4)               Require professional installation.

 

• Terrazzo:

1)               Waterproof.

2)               Minimal maintenance.

3)               Cold to the feet.

4)               Expensive.

5)               Professional installation required.

 

• Engineered Stone (Natural Quartz):

1)               Very hard.

2)               Large variety of colors and designs.

3)               Not porous.

4)               Simple maintenance.

5)               Professional installation required.

6)               Expensive.

7)               Noisy and cold to the feet.

 

• Ceramic Tile:

1)               Easy to work with.

2)               Durable.

3)               Usually waterproof.

4)               Noisy and cold to the feet.

5)               Slippery when wet.

6)               Professional installation required.

 

• Mosaic Tile:

1)               Durable.

2)               Large variety of colors and styles.

3)               Easily contoured to irregular floors.

4)               Less slippery than other tiles.

5)               Easy maintenance.

6)               Expensive installation.

7)               Like all tiles, can be noisy and cold.

 

• Glass Tile:

1)               Beautiful appearance.

2)               Many colors and designs.

3)               Impervious to stain and easy to clean.

4)               Breakable and some are easy to scratch.

5)               Professional installation required.

6)               Expensive.

 

• Concrete:

1)               Minimal maintenance.

2)               Easy to change its appearance.

3)               Gets stronger over time.

4)               Environmentally friendly ingredients.

5)               Professional installation.

6)               Not resilient, will chip and break.

7)               Cold on feet.

 

The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.  Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, info@ScottsdaleRealEstateTeam.com or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale, Arizona.