The floor is one of the largest surfaces in the house that greatly affects your interior design and is the only part of your home that has frequent physical contact with your body. Plus, especially for HDB flats, the wrong flooring choice can even affect neighbourly relationships. However, with the many flooring options one can choose from – each with its own distinct appearance and qualities – where do you begin to look and what should you consider before choosing a flooring material?
Because choosing a flooring material for your HDB flat is crucial for both your HDB’s interior design and your comfort, we will be sharing with you some of the most suitable materials you can consider for your HDB flat.
1. Vinyl
Due to its affordability and variety in design, vinyl flooring is one of the most popular flooring choices in Singapore. They consist of four main layers – wear layer, decorative image, vinyl core, and backing layer – and come in tiles, sheets, and planks, for ease of installation. They are created by combining synthetic materials with heat and pressure, forming a durable and soft material with excellent sound absorption qualities.
For your HDB interior design, you can choose from a wide selection of vinyl flooring designs to find one most suitable and even have it cushion all the sounds that will be caused by walking or impact. This way, you never have to worry about your neighbours downstairs complaining about your loud footsteps again.
2. Wood Plastic Composite (WPC)
WPC flooring is known for its waterproof properties and it consists of five layers, namely an attached underlayment, a 100% waterproof core, a luxury vinyl print, and a wear layer. Its luxury print layer provides high-definition imagery for realistic hardwood looks suited for a variety of HDB interior design styles.
The difference between WPC and vinyl is that WPC’s core is constructed of wood plastic composite, which gives it a solid and stable feel, whereas vinyl’s core is made of rubber.
WPC provides excellent acoustic benefits within your home and its attached underlayment helps to insulate sound and prevent it from travelling to your neighbour’s unit downstairs.
3. Tiles
If you’re looking for a material that can reduce footstep sounds, then tile floors will not be a good option. However, they are one of the most affordable waterproof flooring materials and they even possess beautiful designs great for any HDB interior design style.
Tiles are typically made of ceramic or porcelain and can feel cold and hard underfoot, which can get very uncomfortable, especially on rainy days. But its durability makes it a great choice for homeowners who want a long-lasting material that does not have to be replaced every decade.
4. Carpet
It is uncommon to see carpets installed as flooring in Singapore homes. However, they are the perfect solution if you care most about reducing footstep sounds. Carpets and the padding beneath them absorb and deflect sound waves, which can significantly reduce the amount of sound travelling downstairs to your neighbour’s flat even if you do high-intensity jumping workouts at home.
Unfortunately, they are extremely difficult to maintain and keep clean, allowing them to trap allergens and dust that will eventually cause problems to your indoor air quality and your respiratory health. You may wish to steer clear of carpeted floors if you or a family member suffer from allergies.
There is no ideal flooring material for HDB flats, and it is up to you, the homeowner, to determine which qualities are most important to you. For greater comfort, convenience and less impact on your floors, we recommend laying your floors with vinyl or laminate as these are the easiest to maintain materials with relatively good sound absorption qualities.
Planning a major HDB renovation? Aside from choosing the right flooring material, it is important to look for a reliable HDB renovation contractor to help you safely renovate your home while adhering to HDB’s list of renovation guidelines.
Starry Homestead is an HDB-approved renovation contractor in Singapore with years of experience in designing and building beautiful spaces for families to rest and relax. Contact us today for a free quote on your new home renovation.
