Handyman in Victoria: Choosing a Floor for the Mudroom

If you live in a place with frequent precipitation, you need a mudroom. These pass-through areas give residents and guests a place to hang their umbrellas and remove their dirty shoes, thereby keeping mess to a minimum. Of course, if you add or renovate a mudroom, you have to give significant thought to the flooring. Fortunately, you have many options for flooring installation in Victoria, ensuring you find something equal parts functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Durable Yet Stylish

Since mudrooms get a lot of traffic, you must find the flooring that can withstand general wear and tear. Otherwise, you’ll have to spend more money replacing it in a few years.

Laminate is an inexpensive material that can withstand daily use. The plastic coating doesn’t show scuff marks and comes in a wide range of colours and textures. You can even find laminate that mimics stone or hardwood.

If you prefer the real thing, go for hardwood or stone. Both are reasonably durable, increase home value and look gorgeous. Of course, both have their downsides.

Hardwood is expensive to install and requires regular maintenance. Since wood absorbs water, you must seal it every five years. Hardwood can also scuff or chip, which requires sanding to remove.

Natural stone is also expensive, and porous options such as marble require sealing. However, the stone is extremely durable, and well-tended floors can easily last 100 years.

Resistant to Moisture

Since there’s bound to be a lot of dripping, you need moisture-resistant floors in your mudroom. If you don’t mind out-of-the-box materials, you should consider concrete. Once sealed, it’s resistant to pretty much everything:

• Water
• Fire
• Scratching
• Stains

You can even get glossy, colourful floors with epoxy. Of course, concrete presents one problem for mudrooms: It gets slippery. If you choose concrete, you’ll need a washable rug, so people have somewhere to stand in their stocking feet.

Vinyl is also moisture-resistant, making it a prime choice for mudrooms. It’s one of the most affordable options and comes in thousands of prints. However, it only lasts about 15 years, so you’ll need to replace it eventually.

Finally, ceramic and porcelain tiles are naturally water-resistant, which is why they’re so popular for bathroom designs. The firing process creates a seal against moisture, so you never have to worry about re-sealing. Tiles also come in a wide range of prices and designs, so you’re sure to find the right options for your home.

Low-Maintenance

Since people will track mud through the aptly named mud-room, you need flooring that’s easy to clean. Sealed concrete, ceramic and porcelain tiles, laminate and vinyl all fall into this category since all you need are regular household cleaners and a mop. Stone and hardwood, on the other hand, pose problems.

When wiping down stone, steer clear of acidic solutions and harsh scrubbing materials. These can scratch the sealant and wear away the stone. Hardwood also requires gentle treatment; instead of harsh cleaners, look for wood-specific formulas or create your own solution of vinegar and distilled water. Additionally, don’t saturate hardwood, as water damage is lasting and often requires replacement.

Finally, the absolute worst choice for mudroom flooring is carpet. Once muddy water soaks into the fibre, you’ll have a tough time getting it out. Carpet also holds bacteria and odors, and it shows wear quickly. Steer away from carpet for this area, or you’ll end up replacing the flooring in a few years.

New flooring calls for a handyman in Victoria. Fortunately, Handyman Connection is here to assist. We can tackle nearly any home improvement project, from painting to storage solutions. To get your estimate, call us or submit our online form.