Does anyone have enaything other than wall-to-wall carpet on their second floor.

[KidsHappen]

And if so, what? Our upstairs carpet is looking pretty rough. I planned to have it professional cleaned here soon and I do have a stream cleaner to clean up little messes but eventually it will need replaced. I have been thinking of going with some sort of hard, easy-to-clean surface. What do you recommend? The bottom floor is hardwood with areas rug. Would the same look good upstairs or should I go with something else? Any ideas? I want a warm cozy look and feel but also easy to clean and maintain.

Edited June 3, 2010 by KidsHappen

[DaffodilDreams]

We have tile in the upstairs bathrooms and hardwood throughout the rest of the upstairs (mostly tile down - including the living room - warm climate - works well). For us, it was a matter of helping prevent allergy flare-ups, so I like not having carpet for that reason. To me, it takes more time to really clean the floors because now I vacuum and mop (damp not wet) instead of just running the vacuum. I also see every last dust bunny or stray hair, so that drives me crazy. But, having the stuff not get trapped under or in carpet was the point, so I make do. My dd and I do seem to be healthier, so no carpet was a good thing for us.

[kokotg]

I'd do hardwood in a second upstairs if I could afford it. I'd prefer pretty much anything to carpet, in fact. I hate carpet with a fiery passion. Our last house had hardwoods everywhere, and it was great.

[Tap]

When we did renovations last year we put in laminate flooring in one large room upstairs (split between library, dd3s room and laundry). I LOVE IT! We bought the Harmonics brand from Costco and installed it ourselves. It wasn't hard and looks fabulous. It is warm and quiet. In dds room we put an area rug because she plays on the floor. I was really worried about the noise, but it hasn't been a problem at all.

[Jennifer in MI]

Hardwood! We were lucky - it was there under the carpet in perfect condition!

 

We had to install hardwood on the first floor, however.

[Starr]

We found old pine plank flooring under the carpet in our entire house. We've added area rugs as wanted upstairs.

[Chris in VA]

We have hardwood in the rectory everywhere except the kitchen, bathrooms and basement. I love not having carpet in the bedrooms because it's so easy to keep clean, and I feel it's healthier for asthma--no dust bunnies last for long under the beds. I keep my slippers by the bed (but no one else minds the floor) and we all wear socks to bed most of the time.

[Ferdie]

When we did renovations last year we put in laminate flooring in one large room upstairs (split between library, dd3s room and laundry). I LOVE IT! We bought the Harmonics brand from Costco and installed it ourselves. It wasn't hard and looks fabulous. It is warm and quiet. In dds room we put an area rug because she plays on the floor. I was really worried about the noise, but it hasn't been a problem at all.

 

We put the same laminate in the upstairs bedrooms of our previous home. It took us one weekend for each bedroom to install. It was beautiful and durable. My children were young and rough on the floor.

 

We had a problem with noise though. When friends came over and jumped around upstairs it sounded like a heard of elephants. Much louder than our carpet. My friend suggested sound proofing with something callled apartment rag, (which goes under the laminate) for the next time we installed laminate on a 2nd story floor.

[Perry]

We replaced the carpet with hardwood in the entire house last fall. Bathrooms are tile. I would prefer just about anything to carpet.

 

I'm putting bamboo in my next house.

[JoyfulMama]

Our first house and our current house are both 100+ years old. Hardwood all the way (except bathrooms and kitchen)- and love it! I do prefer carpeting on the stairs, as I am prone to tumbling down them if they are slippery.:tongue_smilie:

[Harriet Vane]

We have hardwood throughout the house, with tile in the kitchen and bathrooms. I love my hardwood floors.

[Dmmetler]

We have foam ABC tiles-we moved them from our old house, where we had all hardwood and I wanted more baby friendly flooring when DD started crawling. I like them because they're easy to wipe spills off of. And given that we do most of our schooling sitting on the floor anyway, I appreciate the softer surface.

[May]

When we bought our house last year, the living room, dining room and kitchen had hardwood. We put hardwood in the living room but didn't upstairs. I was so glad we made that choice because our dog went slip and sliding everywhere. So, down went rugs to help with his traction. He has learned to walk on it but every once and awhile, he slips and lets out a yelp.

[KidsHappen]

Thanks. I appreciate all the replies. I am thinking about going with the laminate upstairs. We have installed this before so I know we could do it and the cost would be about the same if we got it from Sam's or Costco and installed it ourselves. It would certainly make cleaning up after pets much easier.

[Liz CA]

 

Coming in late to this topic but wanted to second or third the Laminate! We got Shaw's and it was less than a dollar per square foot. Nothing has scratched it - so far.

 

:)

[MariannNOVA]

Thanks. I appreciate all the replies. I am thinking about going with the laminate upstairs. We have installed this before so I know we could do it and the cost would be about the same if we got it from Sam's or Costco and installed it ourselves. It would certainly make cleaning up after pets much easier.

 

 

I would also recommend checking out Lumber Liquidator's if there is one near you - excellent prices on laminate.:001_smile:

[jewellsmommy]

We have hardwood and I, also, despise carpeting. We don't even have area rugs. I think children on a second floor will sound like a herd of elephants regardless of your flooring choice!:D My friend has laminate and it looks great, even with her kids being kids and a greyhound running around!

[ImmigrantsWife]

We have a hundred year old house and so of course hardwoood on both floors. I love it because we have 5 kids and 2 German Shepherds so cleanup is a snap compared the carpet we had at our last house. I have to swiffer every other day (I could stuff a couch with the hair I collect!) but its still easier than constantly scrubbing out stains from the carpet. In the winter I do wear my slippers, and I make the kids wear theirs too. Now one time my 9 yr old slipped and fell on Christmas morning and had to get 3 stitches on his chin, but I later found out that when my 11 yr old did her chores she "cleaned" the floor with Pledge, so yikes; thank God it was only 3 stitches!

[Peela]

We have a lot of marble tiles in our house- it was built by a master builder, apparently the head of our city's mafia in the 1970s! He loved marble- 3 marble bathrooms here and marble floors through half the house.

It's cold. Not cosy- great for summer but not so good for winter.

 

If I was to build a house though, I wouldn't use much carpet. I would rather have wooden floors and rugs. I think its probably healthier, and easier to clean.

[Catherine]

Hardwood-that we rescued from carpeting and a layer of linoleum tiles. It's full of nail holes but I like it better than what we had.

[Mama2Three]

We replaced the upstairs carpet with hardwood in the hall and master bedroom. For the kids' rooms, I installed cork flooring (1x3 foot planks that you click together). Really, really love it -- easy to keep clean and softer than hardwood which makes it nicer for playing, falls out of bed, etc. I wouldn't install hardwood flooring by myself, but the cork was definitely doable.

[dirty ethel rackham]

We have hardwood everywhere upstairs except the bathroom, which is tile. I love that it is so low maintenance. Swiffer frequently, vacuum the dustbunnies out of the corners. Wipe up with damp cloth.

[Rhonda in TX]

We have tile and wood laminate in the bathroom. Tile is in the tub/toilet area. Laminate is in the sink area.

[Yolanda in Mass]

Hardwood 1st floor, laminate, Pergo, 2nd floor. My husband installed the laminate himself. Looks great.

[mcconnellboys]

Hardwood or even the newer sorts of laminate floors could be very nice, but they will be colder. We have tile in our bathrooms and the floors are cold in winter. That's why many folks in colder parts of the country put in heating under their tile floors in baths.

 

So I tend to think that you will still need/want area rugs even if you go with a different flooring. If you keep these relatively small, it might be easier for you to wash them at home, however, and keep the floors better looking in general.

[Laura Corin]

We had bamboo flooring in our bedroom area at our last place - I liked it a lot. We opted for carpet this time in order to deaden noise.

 

Laura

[Denisemomof4]

I dropped a drink while going up the steps to pack for a vacation a few years ago. We had intended to rip out the carpet and replace it with hardwood in the hall and on the stairs, and we intended to make the entire house hardwood. Downstairs is all maple flooring. I had the steps all picked out, and when I dropped the drink, I just ripped out the carpet and padding so we could have the new flooring installed when we got home. I just couldn't believe how much LOUDER it was in my house! Our downstairs is all open concept, and we have a large balcony upstairs. The noise drove me crazy so I went with a pretty stain proof carpet. I have NO regrets AT ALL.

 

When some or all of the kids move out, we MAY go to hardwoods upstairs. For now, I love the quietness that the carpet brings. ;)

 

Downstairs, though, the only carpet we have is area rugs and I love it that way.

[swimmermom3]

We have a daylight basement so the main living area is on the 2nd floor. It's all hardwood, even in the kitchen. I love it even though it's time to get it refinished. The noise for the lower floor hasn't really been an issue.