How to choose the best flooring for your verandah
A well-designed verandah can easily become a natural extension to your living room or lounge, so smart design choices are important. And, one of the most important decisions you will need to make is what to use for your verandah flooring.
With so many verandah flooring options, it can be tough to decide which is best. Here’s a detailed guide to your options.
What is verandah flooring?
As the name implies, verandah flooring is any flooring option used on an outdoor verandah.
The best flooring for an outdoor verandah is structurally sound, resistant to weather events and comfortable to walk on year-round.
How to buy the best verandah flooring
Outdoor verandah flooring ideas run the gamut from cosy wood to elaborate natural stone motifs. To choose the best flooring for your verandah, consider the pros and cons of each type, as well as their costs and installation options.
Types of verandah flooring
There are many different types of verandah flooring. Some of the most popular types include:
Wood: A wooden verandah floor is timeless and is unlikely to go out of style. Wood flooring is an extremely versatile material, providing an excellent backdrop for verandah themes ranging from coastal to rustic to modern.
It can also be sanded down and refinished numerous times, making it an excellent long-term investment. If local hardwood is available, this can also be a highly eco-friendly option.
Natural stone: If you’re creating a high-end verandah with a luxurious feel, natural stone is tough to beat. Its inherent colour variations add a touch of artistry to any design.
Choose irregularly shaped stones for a meandering appearance, or cut modular stones for a more pulled-together look. Popular natural stone options include slate, granite, and even marble.
Though natural stone is reasonably maintenance-free, it’s not as durable as other materials, so it may not be the best choice for homes with kids or pets.
Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile is a classic flooring material. Verandah tile flooring should not be glazed, as the smooth finish on glazed tile could become slippery in rain or snow.
Tile is especially popular in warmer climates, as it remains cool to the touch even in extreme heat. Consider adding a sealant to protect the tile from wear and the grout from cracking.
Concrete: Concrete is a wonderful, time-tested choice for those who want to let their imaginations run free. It can be moulded to fit almost any shape, and there are plenty of options to personalize it including, colouring, stamping, brushing, painting, scoring, and patterning.
You can even use concrete as a base for textural elements such as pebbles. When painting or otherwise detailing a concrete verandah floor, be sure to use only materials that are designed for both concrete and outdoor applications. Also, consider adding a sealant to protect your work.
Choose the right size verandah flooring
Sizing your verandah flooring has three basic steps. First, you will need to decide how big you want your verandah to be. Base your decisions on the amount of room you have and the furniture you want to place.
The next step is to determine the size of the material you want. For example, ceramic tiles are available in sizes ranging from 50mm to 600mm squares. Hardwood flooring planks maybe 2 1/4 inches to 6 inches wide, 5/16 inch to 3/4 inch thick, and 12 inches to 84 inches long.
Finally, determine how much flooring you need to cover your chosen area. While many flooring materials are sold by the square foot, you will need a different number of pieces depending on the size of each piece.
Compare verandah flooring costs
The cheapest verandah flooring options vary depending on whether you will do the work yourself. Concrete, and tile are among the cheapest verandah flooring materials, but paying a skilled sub-contractor to lay them can reduce the savings.
Pricing also varies depending on the exact item you choose. For example, basic untreated lumber will cost far less than higher-end woods. Whereas, natural stone is among the most expensive choices.
Read verandah flooring reviews
Reading verandah flooring reviews can be more complex than anticipated. Since the majority of verandah floors are professionally installed, it’s important to separate commentary on the installation from commentary on the material itself.
Reviews are certainly important when choosing an installer, but don’t let a poor installation experience deter you from a product that is actually of excellent quality.
Look for comments on durability, ease of cleaning and maintenance, and the complexity and cost of installation. Also, pay attention to whether any specific issues, such as fading or popping up, are mentioned by multiple reviewers.
Installation
Installing a verandah floor is generally a job for the professionals, but handy DIY enthusiasts can often manage some materials. Wood is generally considered the most DIY-friendly verandah flooring option.
Verandah flooring material considerations
Engineered Tile
Durable – scratch and stain-resistant and not prone to cracking
Easy to install
Porcelain Tile
Stone look or wood-look options
Solid Hardwood
Use domestically sourced where possible
Long-lasting and durable
Hardwood
Only use sources with sustainable practices
Engineered Hardwood
Sustainability and ethical sourcing
More stable than solid hardwood
Also, always consider Australian sourced products where possible, local materials can be very high quality and has the added advantage of being suitable for the built environment.
Tell us: Enjoyed this article? Don’t forget to like and share.
And while you’re here, take our mortgage shredder challenge and discover how much you can save on your home and investment loans by using loansHub technology as your personal mortgage manager. To discover why loansHub and what we do, click here.
This article via Freshome does not constitute advice; readers should seek independent and personalised counsel from a trusted adviser that specialises in property, a tax accountant and property design specialist.