Florida is famous for being the sunshine state as well as its unforgiving humidity. There are certain types of flooring that are best for the humid Florida climate. Here are the best flooring options for Florida homes.
Choosing the right flooring for your Florida home is important, so let’s make this challenging task a little easier for you. Not only do you need a material that can stand up to the humidity and heat, but you also want something that will add to the beauty of your home!
This article may contain affiliate links, which means I earn a commission from the sale (at no extra cost to you!). I recommend items that I personally love and believe these products will help you create your dream home.
Looking to move to central Florida, and you don’t know where to start? Nicole Mickle, Relocation Specialist, is here to help. Nicole has extensive experience in the Orlando area and will assist you in navigating the available homes on the market to find one that is just right for you!
What Are the Best Types of Flooring for Florida Climates?
When homeowners decide that they want to make the move to Florida, they find that there are many things that are different including the tropical climate and how it affects the interior design of Florida homes. There are many interior elements that are different in their home state compared to Florida.
As a real estate agent, it’s my goal to find ways to connect to the trendy Florida decorating styles while the homebuyers don’t lose the things they love in their previous home. We discuss kitchens in detail but the second most important item on the list is flooring. Flooring in New Jersey, New York, Illinois, and Virginia is a little different from Florida.
For years, many homes only had terrazzo and then tiles. I remember those were hated selections even though this kind of flooring is perfect to keep you cool in Florida’s climate. We might have a little over a month of cool or “cold” weather so you definitely appreciated tile.
With that being said, here are a few of the best flooring options for an open concept kitchen and living room, and the rest of the home. All of the best options are listed here. Don’t worry, they are very modern and stylish!
1) Wood Look Tile
Things changed in 2015. There was a new flooring introduced… This new flooring was a wood look tile! YES, finally something that blended the best of both worlds. Cool to touch but visibly pleasing because of the wood look.
Wood look tile is the most popular option among homeowners in Florida homes! If you look at pictures of wood tile, you won’t even know that it’s not wood! In the following pictures, you can see that it helps open concept homes flow.
Best Tile: Montagna Dapple Gray Porcelain Floor and Wall Tile
2) Dark Wood Floor Tiles
Dark-colored flooring is also an option. It works really well if you prefer furniture and kitchen designs in lighter colors and have lots of natural lighting. If you’re really looking for the hardwood look, then this is the best option.
Best Tile: Beautiful Wood Cherry Porcelain Tile
3) Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is an affordable option if you really like the look of hardwood floors but don’t want to pay the price of wood tiling. Make sure that you look at waterproof tiles because you want something that’s water-resistant against the humidity and backyard pools!
Best Tile: Waterproof Sterling Oak Luxury Vinyl Plank Flooring
4) Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is the most affordable option, and it’s also extremely resilient. It’s made of synthetic material yet it’s durable against the climate in central Florida and beyond.
Best Tile: Greystone Oak Water Resistant 12 mm Laminate Flooring
5) Vintage Tiles
If you like bold, vintage is one of the ways to go when it comes to flooring. Vintage tiles look so great in smaller spaces like bathrooms, laundry rooms, or as a backsplash in your kitchen. As you can see within this bathroom, textured tile flooring looks great in a small space. This is the best type of flooring if you want to make a statement and add character to your home.
Best Tile: Twenties Vintage Encaustic Ceramic Floor and Wall Tile
6) Ceramic Tiles
You will be amazed when you look closer at ceramic tiles. They are a great option for wall tiles and backsplash but also make a great flooring option in Florida homes.
Best Tile: Duttonwood Ash Matte Ceramic Floor and Wall Tile
7) Natural Stone Tile
There are many Spanish-style homes in Florida so it’s only fitting that they have a natural stone tile throughout. Travertine is a popular option and it even looks great outdoors if you want to create an outdoor fireplace.
Best Tile: Bologna Chiaro 3 Textured Travertine Floor and Wall Tile
There are many different flooring materials to choose from, but the seven options listed above are some of the best options for Florida homes. Make sure you purchase the right type of flooring!
FAQs About Best Flooring Options
It’s best to avoid carpet altogether and invest in wood look tiles, waterproof tiles, and vinyl flooring. If you want something more affordable, laminate flooring is a good option too. The idea is to select flooring that resembles hardwood without being real hardwood because you want something that is resistant to high humidity.
If you’re familiar with Florida weather, then you know that there is a lot of high humidity due to thunderstorms, hurricanes, and the overall climate. Purchase a wood look tile like ceramic or porcelain or vinyl tiles.
Laminate flooring is an affordable option and has a top layer that resembles hardwood flooring. The downside to laminate flooring is that it’s not as water resistant as the other options so it should not have water on it for long periods of time.
The tropical climate in Florida poses a challenge for many homeowners so traditional flooring like hardwood floors and carpet are not an option. Many Floridians no longer want carpet in their homes at all because of the humid climate and the fact that carpets collect dust and various allergens.
There are extreme weather conditions in Florida that make it unrealistic to install hardwood floors and carpet. Tile floors are the most durable but they have gone out of style in recent years due to the popularity of wood look tiles and vinyl flooring that resembles hardwood flooring.
Most love their beautiful hardwood floors and although you will find them in more of our historic homes, real wood is not something you will find in new homes. Most Florida homes have pools which means a lot of water will trek into your home. That plus the humidity can damage the hardwood.
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I live in the villages Florida. I am the second owner of my home. Currently, there is a combination of tile and carpet. I am in the process of replacing all the carpet. My preference is a porcelain wood look tile to complement the existing tile, but a luxury vinyl and hardwood also have been recommended. The luxury vinyl by some people have been discouraged and some other people want to simply make a sale and will tell you anything. I am confused and don’t know what to do. Please advise. Thank you.
Hi Glenda! I have a few more questions for you. Do you have any pets? If you do not then it will be about your style. I would always suggest one continuous style of flooring throughout the home. It will make a difference now and later. Luxury Vinyl is the most popular because of the look, function and affordability. Send me an email if you have more questions I would love to help:)
Hi Nicole. We are moving into a home we hope to eventually live in full time in central Florida. We are based out of NJ now and have hardwood floors throughout. I see that you recommend against hardwood floors. We hate carpet as we have a dog and do not want to deal with the dog hair. What do you recommend? Our hope is paint entire house BM Edgecomb Gray with white trim, replace kitchen cabinets with white dove cabinets and new appliances, replace kitchen counters white quartz (probably just duplicate current house- calcacatta lazza ). We want to change all tile, carpets and flooring in house (with the exception of the bathrooms) to one floor. What makes sense
Hi Laurie! Welcome to Central Florida! I would definitely suggest either a luxury vinyl plank or a wood look tile. Many of my NY and NJ clients like the wood look tile the best for the look and durability. It mimics the look of hardwood flooring. The other interiors selections sound great as well. Would love to see the finished design:)
Hi Nicole, thank you for this information. We live in Maryland and are about to buy a second home in FL on the west coast. I’m torn on what flooring to put in, wood like tile or luxury vinyl plank. We live on the coast in MD and put LVT in about a year ago and love it. I also love tile but worry about the grout. I hate to have to clean and seal grout. Is this necessary with the wood tile you reference in your article? Thank you for any advice.
Hi Stephanie! If it is the wood tile I would suggest that you seal the grout, but I did not in my current home. I usually get it cleaned. Do you have pets or a lot of traffic in your home?
Hi Nicole,
You had a picture of an old world black and white vintage square tile!!! I’m trying to hunt that down.
Can you point me in that direction?
Hi there Katie! I can only find the peel and stick option online at the moment.
we are thinking of putting in all bamboo. We have seen other homes with bamboo and florida and the floors look great. Do you have a Bamboo manufacturer you would recommend?
Hi Maxine! Bamboo Flooring is beautiful. I do not have a preferred manufacturer or installer that specializes in bamboo. I would LOVE if you could send me an email to see yours once they are completed.