What Floors Are Good For You?

best flooring for Florida homes

Picking out flooring products in Tampa for your home or next renovation project can be challenging. You might wonder which one is best for your needs. Whether you’re flipping a rental or refreshing a room in Tampa, you need floors that can adapt to the conditions. In other words, your floors should hold up Florida’s heat, humidity and day-to-day wear.

There’s a couple factors to keep in mind like durability, waterproofing, affordability and style. However, the most important qualities will vary from person to person. At our building material and supply store in Tampa, we’ll walk you through everything to help you find the perfect fit for your project.

What to Consider When Purchasing Flooring

Each home and jobsite has different needs. What’s the perfect floor? There’s no universal answer. However, foot traffic, moisture and style should all be considered. 

Durability 

Have a busy household? Maybe you have pets or kids running about or you’re always moving furniture or hosting guests all the time. Consider SPC, LVP or tile, which hold up in high-traffic areas and maintain their appearance over time. In contrast, offices and spare bedrooms can benefit from budget-friendly laminate.

Moisture

Florida can be quite humid. Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry areas are all moisture-prone areas. SPC, LVP and tile hold up in these spaces. While no floor is 100% waterproof, these are your best options to stay safe from water damage.

Style

Lastly, you can’t forget about style! Laminate and LVP imitate the appearance of hardwood at a fraction of the cost. Think about how you want your space to look. There are modern and rustic design options available to suit various lifestyles. We will discuss how there are different flooring options for different lifestyles next.

Finding Floors That Fits Your Lifestyle

Not every product is for every customer. Each one holds up differently, which may or may not be helpful spending on your needs. Here’s what you need to know based on your lifestyle.

Busy Homes with Kids or Guests

Have little feet (or paws) running around? LVP and SPC are your go-tos. Both of these options withstand water damage and stand up to scratches. Tile is another strong option, especially in kitchens and entryways where messes happen. 

Pet Owners

If you have pets, your floors have to handle claws, water bowls and the occasional accident. In this case, SPC and LVP work best since they resist scratches and can easily be cleaned with a mop or vacuum. Additionally, tile is pet-friendly and close to indestructible.

Contactors or Flippers

When you’re working on a tight timeline or on a budget, laminate and LVP come to the rescue. They are both easy to install and look amazing. On the other hand, SPC provides additional toughness for long-term rental properties or higher-end projects. Always finish everything out with trim and baseboards as a clean install and finish complete a space.

We all lead very different lives and deciding which floors will work best for you is a huge decision. However, one of the biggest deciding factors is money. We will discuss budgeting next.

What You Can Expect to Spend

Cost matters. This is true whether you’re a homeowner renovating your space or a contractor looking for fast floor pickups. Knowing what you’re going to spend beforehand is smart. It will allow you to go into your project with a plan. 

Generally, flooring is priced per square foot. The costs will vary depending on the material you’re buying and where you shop. However, baseboards and trim can be priced by piece or foot depending on where you go. You’ll have to ask a flooring expert for more dtails.

If you’re looking for a bargain, wait for closeout specials. They tend to be available for select colors and sizes. It’s best to ask about availability whether you’re working on a larger project or a quick solution. 

Find the Right Floors for Your Project

There’s no need to overthink it. All you have to do is choose the material that aligns with your vision. At Pro City Supply, your trusted wholesale flooring and building material supplier in Tampa, we stock everything you need. Whether you’re picking up a few boxes or preparing for a multi-room install, just get in, buy like a PRO, and head back to the job site.

Visit our Tampa supply store or contact us today to get started!

Latest Posts

Not all flooring is priced low for the same reason. What looks like a deal can turn into a nightmare three months into a job. Some look expensive, but are more than what you need. What’s the difference between cheap flooring and value flooring? It’s one of the valuable things anyone working in the industry or buying flooring can learn. Whether you're a contractor, homeowner or a flipper, trying to hit your number without cutting corners can hurt you later. Let’s get into what drives flooring prices and where the real cost shows up. What Makes Flooring Cheap in the First Place? Flooring prices are determined by several factors. The most common ones include: Wear Layer Thickness: The wear layer is the protective coating on top of SPC and LVP flooring. Budget products are 6 mil or less. Professional-grade products start 12 mil and go up. Durability makes a difference over time. Core Construction: A thin or unstable core will cause the floor to flex, shift or telegraph subfloor imperfections. Quality SPC cores are denser, heavier and more dimensionally stable. Finish Quality: Cheaper products have a lower-grade UV coating, this shows wear faster and is harder to clean without dulling. Certifications and Testing: Reputable products have FloorScore, GREENGUARD or similar certifications. Budget flooring doesn’t usually have these and clients need to know when they ask. Where It’s Sourced: Direct-from-manufacturer pricing gives you a better product for a lower price. When a product passes through two or three distributors before reaching a store shelf, you’re paying for that chain. Cheap flooring isn’t always bad. It’s just important to know what you’re buying and where it’s going. When Does Cheap Flooring Cost You More? It’s easy to choose cheap flooring because of the low upfront costs. However, it’s also easy to get burned. Here’s an overview: For Contractors When a floor fails right away, you get an angry callback. This can cost you time, materials and if the client talks, your reputation. Cheap flooring installed in the wrong place (i.e. wrong wear layer for a rental unit or wrong core for a slab with moisture issues) will fail. The client won’t blame the product, they will blame you. For Homeowners The true cost of flooring isn’t just what you pay at the counter. You have to add in the installation cost, the removal cost if it fails early and the replacement cost if it fails within five years instead of fifteen. A product that costs $0.30 less per square foot can easily set you back thousands more over time. For Flippers If you’re buying to sell, durability matters. Flooring that buckles before closing or that a home inspector flags as problematic can create delays or kill a deal. On the other end, over-specifying for a flip or using premium hardwood in a rental-grade renovation can destroy your margin just as fast. Spending the most shouldn’t be a goal. At Pro City Supply, we get that. Our Tampa building material suppliers help customers throughout Tampa, while our Orlando building material store helps Orlando customers find the right products for their projects. When you choose us, you’re buying from a trusted source you can rely on. . What Numbers Actually Matter? When you’re considering a flooring store in Tampa or flooring store in Orlando, you have to look at the product’s specs before the price tag. This means looking into the following: Wear Layer: Choose a 12 mil minimum for residential properties and 20 mil+ for heavy traffic or rentals. Total Thickness: As a rule of thumb, 5 mm is entry-level and 8 mm+ gives you better sound and stability. Core Type: SPC (Stone Polymer Composite) is the standard for dimensional stability so it doesn’t expand and contract like older LVP does in the Florida heat. Warranty: A 10-year residential warranty is reliable. A lifetime warranty on a $0.49/sq. ft. product means nothing. In-Stock Consistency: If you’re working on a 1,200 sq. ft. job and you run out of product mid-install, you have an issue. Verify lot availability before you commit. Price is the first thing you see, but it’s not the only number that matters. If you want to buy like a pro, you have to look at the product specs. How Do Pros Actually Buy? Experienced contractors don’t walk into a big-box store and grab whatever’s under the sale sign. They have a source they trust where they consistently know what’s in stock. They know the specs without having to read the back of a box so they can buy at prices that make money, not just cover materials. Buying where the pros buy makes a difference. Pricing protects contractor margins. The inventory is deep enough to handle real jobs and the people behind the counter know the trade so you’re never explaining what an SPC core is to a part-time associate. Ready to Buy Like a Pro? Are you a seasoned installer, doing your first renovation or turning investment properties for a living? Buying smart goes beyond looking at the price tag. It means knowing your specs, matching product to application and sourcing from a reliable supplier like Pro City Supply so you aren’t short on the job site. Want flooring that will last? Contact us or visit one of our showrooms today!

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