To make your decision easier, read through the guide below to get an idea of what flooring you would like to have in your new tiny home. 

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Types of Flooring Options

Just like in any other home, there are many options to choose from when picking flooring that you are going to live with every day. Below are some comparisons of the most common flooring choices for tiny homes. 

Hardwood

Hardwood floors are a classic choice for durability and style and can easily be cut down to fit into the different nooks and crannies of a tiny home. Hardwood can also be very durable if it is installed and treated correctly.

As for longevity, with regular cleaning and maintenance wood floors can last for hundreds of years, which is why you can still see original hardwood floors in antique buildings. There is something about hardwood flooring that adds a timeless quality to a home, making it a consistently popular choice for homeowners. 

As for drawbacks, hardwood floors do fade if they are exposed to constant sunlight, so if your tiny house has a lot of windows, do not expect the wood to stay the same color over the years. Hardwood also requires more maintenance than other types of flooring like waxing and refinishing.

This can also be the most expensive option for flooring because of the labor required to harvest the wood and cut it into planks.  

Tile

Another timeless option, tile is a great option for people who want a relatively low-maintenance flooring option. If you are thinking of installing floor tiles in your tiny home, then you can work with a flooring company to install custom tile shapes to fit the unique floor plan of the smaller space.

Tile is a common choice for many people because it is low-maintenance and durable. Tiles also come in all shapes and sizes, making it easy to adapt to any size room. If you are doing different kinds of flooring in different parts of your tiny home, tile is perfect for kitchens and bathrooms because it is water-resistant. 

A big drawback of tile for tiny homes is that it is very heavy. If your tiny home is adapted to be mobile, the heavy tile may affect the transportability of your home. It will not only make your home heavier but will add to fuel costs if you ever have to transport it long distances.

Laminate

As one of the most cost-effective options, laminate is a popular choice for many people, especially if they are raising a family in their tiny home. Laminate is relatively scratch-resistant and easy to clean. It is also good as a transitional flooring option. You can install it as your first form of flooring and after a few years of saving up money, you can upgrade to something more durable and long-lasting.

One con of laminate is that if it gets damaged, there isn’t really a way of refinishing it, you will likely have to rup it all up and install new flooring. It is also susceptible to water damage and can bubble up if water gets in underneath.  

Factors to Consider

When deciding on the right flooring for your tiny home, these are some factors to consider.

Activity in the Home

If you have a lot of foot traffic going through the home like kids and pets, you will likely prefer flooring like vinyl, tile, or laminate which are scratch and stain-resistant. If your tiny home is a vacation home that you may have perched on the beach or in the woods, then there will likely be a constant smattering of sand or mud coming onto your floors, meaning you will want material that is easy to clean.

Aesthetics

When choosing flooring, the way it looks is important for the flow of the style of your tiny home. If you are going for a more rustic look, then wood floors are probably the best fit, but if you want more of a cottage vibe, tile may be the way to go. Options like laminate and vinyl are useful because they can mimic other materials like wood or vinyl if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on flooring. 

Space Efficiency

Thick flooring like hardwood may reduce your space in your already minimized house. Choosing flooring like laminate or vinyl that is thin may be better if you want to maximize space efficiency. There is also a thin tile available that you can use to make the most out of the space that you have. 

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Different Flooring for Different Areas

Although there is not much space for a wide variety of flooring in a tiny home, it is still nice to break up different areas with different flooring to establish organization. Kitchens and bathrooms are best suited to tile flooring while living rooms and bedrooms work well with hardwood or carpet. 

The flooring of any home is an important part of the style and functionality of the space, especially in a tiny home. Use this guide to decide what kind of flooring best suits your tiny home needs.