The Best Flooring for Humid Climates
Whether you’re a snowbird heading south, a California dreamer, or holding steady in the Lone Star state, when deciding on a type of flooring for your home, it’s important that you consider your geographical surroundings, specifically the climate you’re living in.
Choosing the right flooring material is essential if you’re a homeowner who finds yourself in a humid climate. By selecting the wrong type of floor, you leave your home and your flooring vulnerable to damage, resulting in unwanted repairs or even having to find replacement flooring much sooner than expected.
Choosing flooring that is cool underfoot, moisture-resistant, and that won’t expand and contract with humidity is essential for those in warm weather climates. Here are the best flooring options for areas where humidity is high:
Tile Flooring
Often viewed as the top flooring choice for warm weather climates, tile flooring offers plenty of advantages when it comes to humid conditions, including:
- Tile provides extreme durability and an overall hardness that means that it won’t expand and contract like other flooring options when humidity is high.
- Tile offers a coldness underfoot, perfect for those scorching hot days.
- If installed properly, tile flooring is moisture resistant, meaning humidity won’t lead to warping or any subfloor damage.
While porcelain and ceramic tile both stand up well to humidity, porcelain handles it slightly better due to its construction.
Vinyl Flooring
Luxury vinyl flooring is another popular flooring choice for warm weather climates due to its:
- Resistance to moisture, especially in comparison to laminate or hardwood.
- Ability to resist heat and humidity thanks to its innate layering.
- Appearance and overall ability to mimic more experience materials like hardwood. However, vinyl will not warp due to humidity in the same way hardwood does.
Luxury vinyl is a fantastic choice for humid climates and offers extreme versatility as you can install it in almost every room inside of your home.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
A household staple, solid hardwood flooring provides homeowners with an attractive flooring option that is, unfortunately, very vulnerable to humidity in warm weather climates. However, engineered hardwood flooring is another story. Constructed with layers of both solid hardwood and plywood, engineered hardwood is a fantastic choice for humid climates. Here’s why:
- It offers the beauty of hardwood flooring but will not expand in contract in the way that solid hardwood does when faced with high humidity levels.
- Engineered hardwood flooring is incredibly durable but not nearly as susceptible to water damage as solid hardwood.
- It’s cool underfoot, much like tile, providing walking comfort for homeowners in warm climates.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring offers several advantages for those living in warm weather climates, including:
- Compared to other flooring options, it’s incredibly affordable and relatively low maintenance.
- While not fully waterproof, strides have been made in recent years with “high-pressure” laminate flooring, a product that uses a specific glue type to minimize moisture absorption.
- Laminate feels good underfoot and is generally comfortable to walk on.
When it comes to your flooring, you deserve something comfortable, cost-efficient, and that will withstand the test of time. Consider one of these fantastic options for your warm-weather home. You’ll be glad that you did!
Are you interested in learning more about the best flooring options for humid climates or want to know more about our fantastic flooring options? The team at Flooring 101 is just a phone call away. Contact us today!
