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How to Choose Entryway & Hallway Flooring

When a prospective buyer first walks into a home, the entryway and connecting hallway create the initial impression for the rest of the interior. Attractive flooring used in this space to produce a luxurious or open feel can frame the entire walk-through to be a magical experience! However, these spaces also need durable, high-traffic flooring options that can resist scratches, scuffs, and moisture day after day, year after year. For the popular open floorplan layout that many modern homes feature, the moisture-resistant flooring and scratch-resistant flooring that serves your entryway and hallway may need to match the fashion-forward flooring in the living rooms and family rooms that are connected. To craft the perfect eye-catching introduction into your home that can withstand a constant flow of footsteps, here are a few valuable tips for choosing the best flooring for entryways and hallways: 

Table of Contents
  1. What are the most durable entryway and hallway flooring options?
  2. What are the best entryway and hallway flooring options for open floorplans?
  3. How can I maintain my entryway and hallway floors? 
 
Dark hardwood entryway featuring Palmetto Road harwood

What are the most durable entryway and hallway flooring options? 

Since all residents and visitors (and your pets!) must use the entryways and hallways to access the common rooms, these spaces will experience the most foot traffic. Simply put, durability is at a premium. In addition to aggressive outsoles on footwear, high heels, cleats, and boots, tracked-in dirt, mud, and winter slush can cause scratches, scuffs, and abrasion each day. For peace of mind and to ensure your surfaces remain attractive over the years, the search for the best hallway flooring and entryway flooring should begin with waterproof hardwood, laminate, and luxury vinyl flooring options for premium scratch and moisture protection. If you feel confident in the ability to limit the amount of moisture your entryway and hallway will experience, genuine hardwood flooring will provide suitable durable performance for these areas, but the use of hallway runners and area rugs is highly encouraged. In a humid climate that experiences high precipitation during the year, waterproof Aspen Estates hardwood by Raintree Floors in Roving Elk will showcase refined style while resisting moisture and providing tremendous durability. To create stunning appeal on a tight budget with the valuable performance characteristics needed for hallways, a luxury vinyl tile such as Pure by Beauflor in Zinc Stone will offer an incredible visual along with sound absorption and underfoot comfort. If scratch protection is the biggest priority for your household, use a tough laminate option like Brunswick by Palmetto Road in Hanover to provide worry-free beauty in your foyer. 

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Before and After Hallway Makeover with Raintree Waterproof Hardwood

Raintree Waterproof Hardwood in Aspen Estates Crevasse. Photo courtesy of Duke Manor Farm

What are the best entryway and hallway flooring options for open floorplans?

If you have a popular open floorplan or you are looking to open up the feel of your foyer or hallways, using longer, wider planks and larger stone visual formats can help you achieve the feel you desire. The larger the planks and tile that you install, the fewer grout lines and seams that will be seen in the finished floor. These larger formats will not only display more prized movement, knots, graining, veining, or striations for luxurious appeal, but they will also enhance the seamless flow between rooms. Lighter neutral tones such as Laguna Vibes by Raintree Flooring in Egret or Essence by Beauflor in Disa 101S Tile can instantly make hallways and foyers appear bigger and feel more open while adding brightness and performance. If you love the look of hardwood but need your foyer and hallway flooring to extend to the kitchen, a style such as Hydrana Water Resistant Laminate Flooring by Beauflor in Gyant Light Grey will connect the home layout and use the natural sunlight that comes inside your home to bring out extra warmth. Make sure to always order free flooring samples of your leading styles to accurately gauge how the flooring colors will work with the light in your entryway, hallways, and connected spaces.
 

 

How can I maintain my entryway and hallway floors?

Deep dark floors are ideal for designing extremely striking modern spaces, but you will spend more time dusting, vacuuming, and mopping the high-traffic areas like entryways and hallways since these colors show more dust, hair, and dander. Popular blonde wood visuals such as Woodlands Flooring by Hearthwood in Natural can help hide dust, dirt, scratches, and scuffs like natural camouflage! No matter which moisture-resistant, durable flooring option works best for your preferred décor and household conditions, always use entry mats to be the first defense against the outdoor elements trying to come inside and abrasive particles on the bottom of footwear. Also, it’s wise to have a shoe rack in your foyer to encourage guests and residents alike to remove shoes entirely before proceeding through the hallway. For your hallway flooring, add elongated runners that appropriately fit the hallway dimensions to cushion the wear-and-tear of high foot traffic and prevent scratches and scuffs on the surface. Sweep, vacuum, and dry mop your entryway and hallways regularly, and spot clean any stains as soon as you discover them, and these spaces will prove to be easier to maintain than you may have ever thought they could be.
 

Talk to Our Flooring Pros

In an active home, it’s also wise to investigate flooring products that feature an attached pad to better insulate sound in your hallways and entryway. Complete our helpful Floor Genius Quiz for product recommendations that will fit your décor preferences and find a Twenty & Oak dealer to help you create the flow in your home that you envision!  Talk to our flooring pros, set an appointment by phone, email, chat or even from inside our virtual showroom 
 
Twenty & Oak Flooring Experts 
Twenty & Oak Flooring Experts are a team of flooring professionals with over 150 years of combined experience in the industry. They have hands-on experience with all flooring types and bring inside industry know-how to homeowners in the Southeast. 
 

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