Does Carpet Belong In A Dining Room? The Property Brothers Settle The Debate

With the considerable amount of foot traffic, spills, and stains a dining room withstands over its lifetime, it's crucial to be very careful when selecting flooring for this area of your home. The material should be durable and easy to clean. It should also be able to handle the frequent movement of dining room chairs without easily scratching. With all of this in mind, you might be wondering whether carpet belongs in a dining room. Thankfully, "Property Brothers" stars Jonathan and Drew Scott chimed in on this longstanding debate with their expert opinions. 

While doing a walkthrough of a couple's home, Jonathan Scott revealed that he wasn't a fan of the look. "I also don't love that it's fully carpeted in the dining room," he admitted during a Season 14, Episode 8 of their hit HGTV show. "I think that's weird." Carpeted dining rooms are not a common choice, so you might not be surprised by this opinion. After all, carpet can be a hassle to clean and maintain, especially in an area that is prone to food and drink spills. Thankfully, there are quite a few alternatives that might be a better fit for your dining room floor.

If Jonathan Scott's opinion on carpeted dining rooms inspired you to look into other flooring options, you'll be glad to hear that there are alternatives for almost any budget. Laminate flooring is a great choice for dining rooms because it is built to withstand wear and tear. It consists of a wear layer, a decorative layer, a core layer, and a back layer. Laminate flooring is one of the most versatile options because it can be designed to look like wood, tile, and more for a lower cost. According to Home Depot, laminate flooring installation is typically priced at about $3.80 to $4.80 per square foot.

Of course, hardwood flooring is arguably the most obvious choice for a dining room. It's durable and makes cleaning spills easy. Hardwood is another versatile option because you can stain it to create your desired aesthetic if you ever feel the need to refresh the space. However, one potential downside to wood flooring is the cost. Home Depot estimates that you will have to pay $6.40 per square foot to have it installed. At the same time, you might find the durability and timelessness of hardwood floors to be worth the price. Likewise, the end result looks just as expensive as the installation costs.

Luxury vinyl is another flooring option that is far more dining room-friendly than carpet. Much like laminate flooring, luxury vinyl can be manufactured to mimic other more expensive flooring materials. It is also scratch-resistant and is not easily damaged by liquid spills. And, unlike with carpet, you don't have to carry out a high-maintenance cleaning routine to care for luxury vinyl. It usually costs about $2 to $6 to have this material installed, per Home Depot.

If you really love the look of carpeting in your dining room and aren't willing to give the idea up, consider adding an area rug under your table instead. This way, you can enjoy the warmth, coziness, and visual appeal of a carpet without having to worry about a complicated cleaning process or any of the other drawbacks associated with installing one permanently. 

The area rug can simply be removed from the space when it is time to clean, or if you get sick of how it looks. You can even take it to a professional to have it cleaned by an expert to ensure longevity. Area rugs are also one of the most affordable flooring options. You should be able to choose a beautiful dining room rug that suits your space, even on a tight budget.