There are lots of positives to putting in a loft conversion in your roof space. You can increase your living space without moving house, put in a home office, create a master bedroom, a dressing room, an extra room or a guest bedroom on the top floor of your home – there are loads of beneficial loft conversion ideas available. Plus, as the loft space is already part of the footprint of your home a loft conversion project often doesn’t need planning permission. Converting your loft can even add up to 20% to the value of your home, so it’s the perfect opportunity if you’re looking for building projects that can increase the value of your property.
Once you’ve had the actual building work in your attic space carried out and created your new loft conversion, it’s time to think about the best choice of finishing touches such as loft conversion flooring. There are a lot of different options available in terms of quality loft flooring that will enhance your attic floor, so here’s a guide as to what to consider if you’re looking for loft flooring options.
Preparing the floor
If you’re working with a professional builder, then they’ll already have made sure that you have an attic conversion floor ready to accept a new floor covering. You should have a floor made from plywood, chipboard, MDF or similar, which should be flat and level and ready to accept the best option covering of your choice. If your loft conversion incorporates a bathroom, then it’s important to note that the floor should be made from marine plywood or a proprietary board which won’t warp under damp conditions.
Practicality of loft flooring
Putting any kind of new flooring down is expensive, so it’s worth putting some thought into your choice so that you end up with the best flooring for your needs.
What is your new loft room going to be used for, and what rooms is it immediately above? For example, if your loft conversion is to become a children’s playroom and it’s immediately above a study, then you might like to consider soft flooring such as carpet to keep noise levels down. If you do put carpet down, though, are the stairs too steep to get a vacuum cleaner up and down easily? If so, then hard flooring might be a more practical choice.
Will your loft conversion contain a bathroom? If so, you’ll need to choose a flooring type that can cope with damp conditions.
Finally, think about how you’re going to heat your new space as some types of flooring aren’t compatible with systems such as underfloor heating. Once you’ve considered these aspects and set a budget, you’re ready to narrow it down a bit.
Solid wood flooring
Installing solid wood hardwood floors in a loft conversion can be tricky or even impossible, and is also usually the most expensive option. Solid wood planks themselves are thick and require laying on a solid foundation, which can make for a thick floor. Loft conversions often don’t have enough ceiling space for this to be an option. If you do have enough head height, and particularly if you have exposed wooden beams, then solid wood can give a beautiful result.
Laminate and vinyl flooring
Modern laminate flooring and vinyl flooring can look great in a converted loft and is a popular choice. Some vinyl wood flooring is almost indistinguishable from real wood, making it one of the best materials to use. These types of floor are easy to clean and offer reasonable sound insulation, but they can be cold to the touch. You can solve this problem with efficient radiators or underfloor heating, and putting some scatter rugs down will help as well.
Carpet
Carpet is a great choice for warmth and sound insulation in dormer loft conversions, and there are options available to suit every budget from nylon tiles to 100% wool carpet. Compared to other flooring options, carpet can be relatively inexpensive, which is helpful if you have a large space.
Ceramic tiles
Ceramic tiles are a great choice if your loft conversion is going to contain a bath or shower room. Tiling the whole floor, though, might make the room a bit cold and noisy.
Once you’ve made the decision about which type of flooring to choose for your type of loft conversion, always get the best quality and resilient flooring that your budget allows. Hard flooring options such as solid wood flooring and laminate tend to last longer, be easier to clean and look better longer than carpet, depending on how much traffic the room gets, so may be the ideal solution for your needs.
For more inspiration and ideas for the interior design of your new attic room, check out our post on how to style a loft conversion.
Main image by scoob_switzerland/Pixabay
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