Flooring Question - Hardwoord, Bamboo, Laminate, Carpet???

[fkshiu]

After my recent reno I discovered that you've got a lot of options now flooring-wise.

The cheapest would be the cheapo laminate that you can get a under a buck/sq. foot. There's actually some very good higher quality laminate that you can install yourself and can hardly tell the difference from real wood. Expect to pay $2-$4/sq. foot for this stuff.

Engineered hardwood is next up the chain of expense. This is nice since you can put it in places such as basements and kitchens where the solid wood flooring would warp.

Of course real hardwood is the most expensive. I'm not sure it's worth it except in your living room perhaps given how good laminate and engineered hardwood floors have become.

Tile is wonderful and will last forever. Even the cheapest ceramic tile will look great if carefully chosen and it's the best type of flooring for your reef tank.

Adding electric underfloor heating beneath laminate, engineered hardwood or tile is as simple as unrolling the heating mat and getting an electrician to hook it up. I added a Nuheat mat to the basement bathroom. This investment paid off the first time I stepped out of the shower and onto a warmth rather than ice-cold ceramic.

[andsoitgoes]

Hmm - This is interesting. where would you recommend going for tile in the Fraser Valley area? I'd REALLY like to look at the heated flooring, it would be so perfect in our new little bathroom - but I know for certain it won't go under the reef tank (which is going to be right in the entryway above the stairs).

So anyway - I think high quality (15mm+) laminate is the way we're going to go - and that's a benefit as it's easier than most things to install, and we could get it in fairly quickly. Again though, it's a matter of what to look for and sources. We're going to get some samples this weekend and we'll go from there - but if anyone has any specific suggestions on brands/etc - It would greatly be appreciated!!