Best Flooring for High Traffic Areas

Any room that’s used more than once per day, every day, is considered a high-traffic area. Choosing the right type of flooring for high-traffic areas is important. Otherwise, the floor can quickly fade, wear, and discolor – needing replacement quicker than usual. Keep reading for the best high-traffic flooring for the home.

What is the Best Flooring For High Traffic Areas?

The best flooring for high-traffic areas is any type of resilient flooring, such as laminate, hardwood, engineered hardwood, or luxury vinyl (planks or tiles).

These floors are durable and can last for many years without fading or wearing out. They can withstand heavy foot traffic from adults, pets, or kids – making them ideal for beach houses, laundry rooms, hallways, lounges, and kitchens.

For flooring that doesn’t require much maintenance in a high-traffic room, laminate or luxury vinyl are the best choices. Hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood are sealed with strong, durable finishes (like satin or semi-gloss). However, the finish can fade over time and needs to be re-applied or waxed routinely.

In high-traffic areas, hardwood or engineered wood should be re-finished every 7 years. In low-traffic areas, the finish shouldn’t need any maintenance for up to 10 years. With regular upkeep, real wood floors can last up to 100 years, which is why they cost more than laminate or vinyl. Wood floors also add more value to a property.

Overview: Best High Traffic Flooring

Here’s an overview of the pros and cons of each type of floor with recommendations for the best brands.

Laminate Flooring

We recommend TORLYS Laminate.

Cons:

• Can be scratched by pets, furniture, or sharp household items without proper care

Cons:

• Can’t be repaired if damaged. Individual planks must be replaced.

Cons:

• Finish wears from high traffic
• Can be scratched by pets, high-heeled shoes, grit, dirt, or furniture (felt pads should be used)
• Not waterproof

Cons:

• Can’t be refinished as many times as hardwood

Carpet is not recommended for high-traffic areas. When used in rooms with heavy foot traffic like a kitchen, entry hallway, lounge, or occupied bedroom, carpet can develop “channel lanes”. This is when the carpet wears in the center due to people walking up and down the hallway over time.

What is Considered High Traffic For Flooring?

A high-traffic area is anywhere that is walked on every day or almost every day. For flooring, high traffic is considered any room that is walked in multiple times a day, usually by more than one person.

For example, an entryway, hallway, lounge, kitchen, or bathroom is used multiple times a day, usually by more than one person. Therefore, they are considered high-traffic rooms for flooring.

An occupied bedroom can be considered a high-traffic area, as it’s used every day. But it may not experience as much traffic as a hallway, as it’s only used in the morning and evening by one or two people.

What are low to moderate traffic rooms?

• Occupied bedrooms
• Unoccupied bedrooms
• Laundry rooms
• Basements/Cellars
• Attics

What is the Best Flooring For High Traffic Dogs?

Dogs can cause premature wear and damage to floors if the wrong type is chosen in a home. Compared to any other flooring, laminate or luxury vinyl offers the best protection against spills, scratches, dents, and high traffic from pets.

A “high traffic” dog is considered a dog that paces up and down areas of the home. Large or heavy dogs are more likely to be considered high traffic for flooring rather than small dogs, but similar issues can be experienced with both.

When choosing flooring for homes with dogs, you’ll want to choose a floor that’s durable, waterproof, scratch-resistant, and difficult to damage. The best options are laminate and luxury vinyl floors.

Engineered wood and hardwood are also suitable flooring for high-traffic dogs. Solid hardwood offers the most protection against scratches and dents. But pet homes are best suited to waterproof hardwood or solid hardwood. With a durable wear layer, it’s protected against spills and pet urine.

Hardwood is not quite as hardwearing compared to laminate or luxury vinyl. But it offers a unique, natural wood aesthetic that is more than effective in a home with high-traffic dogs.

Is Vinyl or Laminate Better For High Traffic Areas?

Both luxury vinyl and laminate floors are well suited to high-traffic areas. They are highly resilient and don’t wear or fade easily. Both types of flooring can last between 10 to 25 years in a high-traffic area.

When comparing vinyl or laminate flooring for high-traffic areas, vinyl floors offer slightly more protection than laminate. Thick, high-quality luxury vinyl planks with the right underlayment (like our Happy Feet range) are the best choice for high-traffic areas over laminate or a thinner vinyl.

While laminate can last a long time, it can be scratched after heavy, prolonged use. However, it’s still a suitable choice for a kitchen, hallway, entryway, or living room. A waterproof laminate can also be used in a laundry room or bathroom.

Summary

When considering the best high-traffic flooring, it’s best to choose resilient flooring. Resilient floors are more durable to frequent foot traffic (including from dogs and other pets).

The most durable flooring for high-traffic areas is rigid core luxury vinyl due to its strength and protective layer. These allow pets to frequent the floors, plus the use of heeled shoes on the surface without causing dents, scratches, or premature wear.

Laminate flooring, hardwood, and engineered wood can also be used in high-traffic areas. However, hardwood finishes can wear over time. Heavy-duty mats should be used in entryways and small rugs should be placed over high-traffic areas, like in front of sinks or stoves in the kitchen, to prevent wear.