“April showers bring May flowers.” There’s nothing quite as refreshing as spring rain, with its cool breezes and the promise of beautiful weather to come. Of course, there’s a difference between temperate seasonally appropriate precipitation and river-swelling, ground-saturating, ‘oh no that lovely duck pond in the backyard has encroached into my house’ torrential downpours.

First, all soaked furniture, upholstery, and belongings need to be removed from the area. Some may be salvageable and some might not be; as difficult as it might be to separate sense from sentimentality it’s necessary in this situation. A moist environment is essentially putting on the Ritz for mold and mildew, two very common allergens that can have serious long-term health consequences.

Next, focus on removing the excessive water and moisture from your room. The longer it hangs around the more damage it does, and, given the opportunity, it will get everywhere. RealEstate.com sums it up: “Water and excessive moisture ruins carpet and padding, seeps under floating floors, dissolves the bond between tile and the subfloor, and works its way under vinyl and linoleum.”

Air needs to circulate in your space in order to combat the excess moisture, so open some windows if you can and if the humidity isn’t too high. Your goal here is to create as much open area as possible: open cupboards and closets, remove cabinet drawers. You’re also probably going to need some help. Dehumidifiers for personal use are available for purchase, but a commercial dehumidifier packs the real punch. Commercial dehumidifiers will help speed the drying process along, and are available for rent from most national hardware stores or equipment rental locations. They’re big, they’re noisy, and they go to work. In extreme cases of high standing water, rent a sump pump to remove the excess water.

In addition to all the headaches, flooding can also cause some serious health risks. Ready.gov has more information on how to deal with the aftermath of a flood.

So What Flooring Can Stand Up To Floods?

Weather, humidity, and precipitation should all factor into the decision making process when shopping for a new floor. If you live in an area with high humidity and heavy rain, waterproof flooring is a great option! So, what type of flooring is best for standing up to water issues? Let’s break it down, going from best to worst.

  BEST: Vinyl Flooring

I really can’t say enough good things about 100% waterproof vinyl flooring. Banish any thoughts of the soft, spongy rolled vinyl floors from the past. No. Those days are over. The sun has come out and technology has advanced to make vinyl flooring tougher, more durable, and far more attractive. Much like its laminate cousin, vinyl flooring is available in a huge array of colors and styles designed to emulate any look you can imagine! Whether you want your room to feel like a rustic, serene log cabin or a timeless Mediterranean villa, there’s a vinyl floor for you.

Another great thing about modern vinyl is how easy it is to install. Yes, I know ‘easy installation’ is something of a buzzword in the DIY world, but installing luxury vinyl plank flooring really is as simple as it sounds. Click together vinyl flooring does just that: it clicks together without glue, complications, or indecipherable instructions. Loose lay vinyl also installs just like its name implies, by laying down on your subfloor and staying in place due to its specially textured background.

  BEST: Porcelain and Ceramic Tile

Porcelain and ceramic tile is a perennial kitchen and bathroom favorite for a reason. They’re all built to withstand water and spills; others are built to withstand chemicals, frost, and the elements. Ceramic and porcelain flooring is a tough material ready to go to work! For those with an eye for the cutting edge trends, we offer a large selection of wood look porcelain. Wait, what? Wood look?

That’s right! Take a gander. One is wood, and one is wood look porcelain tile. Which is which?

Those savvy readers who guessed the porcelain is on the right, pat yourselves on the back. That’s the Florida Tile Berkshire Walnut Wood Grain Porcelain Plank Tile. One the left is Kingsmill Sonoma Golden Sand Maple Birch Solid Hand Scraped Hardwood. Innovation, am I right?

With the unbeatable prices at Floors To Your Home, it’s never been a better time to purchase discount vinyl flooring.

  ACCEPTABLE: Laminate Flooring

Time to play the semantics game: laminate floor is water resistant, not waterproof. Laminate is known far more for its durability, value, and eco-friendly construction than it is for its imperviousness to moisture. Of course, some people (the humble author’s parents, for example) still choose to install it in their bathrooms and are fully satisfied.

A lot of our laminate features an attached pad, but some of the pad goes one step further by featuring a foil moisture barrier for additional protection.

  UNWISE: Engineered Hardwood and Solid Hardwood

Let’s shout it to the rafters: Wood and water don’t mix! Excess moisture causes all kinds of headaches for hardwood, so your best bet is to save hardwood for rooms without moisture concerns and opt for something else. If your heart is set on the hardwood look, have a look at our vinyl planks or wood look porcelain tile, which are all 100% waterproof.

Do you have questions about choosing the best floor for a moisture-prone environment? Call or click to chat with our trained flooring experts today.

  - - - - Meredith Foster is a content writer at Floors To Your Home. Away from the office she's a published author, hockey fan, music lover, and mom to a vampire-fanged rescue cat.

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