Flooring

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Flooring

What's behind our flooring Ratings?

Experts at our National Testing and Research Center tested 42 models in flooring to see which ones perform best.

We look for:

Overall score
Overall score is based mainly on resistance to wear, scratches, dents, stains, sunlight, moisture, and slips. Moisture resistance, not shown, is based on damp sponge left overnight (minor spills) and soaked samples (long exposure). Slip resistance, not shown, is friction level using industry machine with leather and neolite. Displayed scores are rounded; models are listed in order of precise overall score.
Resists foot traffic
Denotes how quickly surface wear was noticeable after repeated passes with an abrasion machine.
Resists scratches
Indicates the ability to withstand dragged-object simulation.
Resists stains
Indicates how resistant the floor is to staining from various products such as coffee, bleach, grape juice, motor oil, tar, and ink.
Resists dents
Shows resistance to blunt and pointed weights dropped from various heights.
Resists sunlight
Indicates how well the flooring stood up to exposure to high levels of ultraviolet light for roughly two weeks.
Sq. ft. per box
Sq. ft. per box, as claimed by the manufacturer.

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Recommended flooring

Recommended flooring are standout choices with high scores. They include CR Best Buys, which offer exceptional value. When narrowing your choices, weigh features, price, and attributes that matter to you.

Recommended flooring

Flooring buying guide

To find the flooring that is right for you, read our expert advice on which features to consider and how to find the best value.

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Why shop here?

In addition to finding Ratings for the latest models, you can now shop online using an ad-free interface where you can buy flooring in a safe-shopping environment.

Learn more about our Price & Shop program

To determine how much flooring you’ll need, measure the room’s square footage by multiplying its length times its width. Variations can occur from one batch to the next, so buy the flooring you’ll need all at once. If you're looking for information about flooring, Consumer Reports is your best resource. Consumer Reports’ flooring reviews will give you honest buying advice that you can trust. Use our flooring buying guide to discover which features are most important to consider. We also provide unbiased Ratings and flooring reviews to help you choose the best flooring for your needs.

Ratings & recommended flooring

Flooring (42)

Top performers did best in our everyday abuse tests. For baths, we suggest vinyl or ceramic tile for its moisture resistance. Prices are per sq. ft.

Flooring buying guide

Begin by considering where the flooring will go and how much traffic, sunlight, and other wear and tear it will get. Vinyl proved tops in our moisture tests and most linoleum, plastic laminates, and solid wood fared nearly as well. But many engineered woods, as well as some solid woods, and a linoleum product we tested flubbed that test--a serious drawback in a busy kitchen. And while the best vinyls and plastic-laminates fended off wear better than solid wood, they can't be refinished when worn.

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