This new flooring has gotten wonderful reviews for a number of reasons.  Some people love the simplicity of the installation--the material is easy to cut, and the pieces can be removed and re-installed until they're positioned perfectly.  Others love the beauty of the finished product.  The planks come in 48-inch lengths in a variety of widths and colors, in traditional or distressed with beveled edges.  It has the rich, elegant look of real wood with all the advantages of vinyl flooring.  Because the vinyl flooring is water-resistant, it can be used in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.  Real wood floors can crack, buckle or get moldy if they get wet, but vinyl has none of those issues.  Vinyl is also stain- and scratch-resistant, and cleans up easily with a damp cloth, so it will maintain its beautiful appearance for years to come.

So far we've looked at 4 floor types: carpet, stone, tile, vinyl, and today we're looking at wood.  Each type has pros and cons, so it's a difficult decision.  Experts say there are 5 basic factors to keep in mind when selecting flooring:  1) Budget--this one's easy.  How much are you planning to spend on your floor?  2) Room--where you're putting the flooring will have a bearing on what type you can get.  A bathroom will have a different floor than a bedroom or dining room.  3) Durability--how long are you planning to have this same flooring? 4) Style--what is your decor in the room it's going in?  5) Comfort--also fits in with #2.  What room is it for and what type of flooring will serve your needs the best?
Keeping these 5 factors in mind, examples for an average home might be a dramatic marble entry and living room, durable & cushiony vinyl for the kitchen, water-resistant & easy-to-clean ceramic tile for the bathrooms, warm & beautiful wood for the family room, and cozy carpet for the bedrooms.   
As mentioned above, wood is warm and soft on the feet, with an inviting look and timeless beauty.  There are numerous types of wood to choose from, with different looks and prices ranging from expensive to very expensive.  Wood can also be either stained or painted to fit into any decor.  The down side is that wood is susceptible to water damage, so spills must be cleaned up immediately.  

If affordability is a major consideration in your flooring choice, vinyl may be the way to go.  It's also easy to install, easy to clean, comfortable to stand on, and holds up well in heavy traffic areas.  It comes in rolls or individual tiles in a huge variety of colors, patterns, and textures, including some styles included below that look like wood, travertine, or ceramic.  The downside of vinyl is that it can't be used in wet environments like bathrooms and it doesn't have the inherent beauty and durability of stone or porcelain.

Today's flooring is tile, including ceramic, porcelain, terra cotta and saltillo.  This type of flooring has almost the same list of pros and cons as the stone we looked at yesterday, like being cold and hard, ranges from affordable to expensive, and is available in natural and glossy finishes. It's not quite as durable as stone, and can crack or chip. Tile is stain-resistant when treated with a glaze, but the grout can discolor.   There is more variety available in terms of size, shape, color, and patterns, including a wood pattern that looks like the real thing.     

Today we're looking at stone floors like granite, slate, limestone, travertine, and marble.  While each type of stone is different, they share some common characteristics.  Stone prices range from moderate to very expensive and is cold and hard on your feet.  On the other hand, stone is beautiful, extremely durable,  and is available in a variety of types, textures, colors, and patterns.  Granite and marble are typically the glossier polished floors, while slate and limestone produce more natural textured floors, and travertine can be either natural or polished.  The natural stones can collect dirt and may need sealing, while the glossy floors require frequent polishing to maintain their appearance.  Looking at the examples of stone floors below, you'll notice that the bedrooms have small rugs to offset the cold floors, some of the foyers have an intricate design in the stone, and the bathrooms have the same stone as the floor on all or part of the walls.