How to choose

This article is the archived version of a report that appeared in the August 2009 Consumer Reports magazine.

See Types for pros, cons, and prices for each of the six major flooring types. Then see our recommendations for top picks. Here are other shopping tips:

Gauge the traffic

The best vinyl flooring for kitchens is also best for baths because moisture and spills won't damage it. The two Lumber Liquidators solid floorings we tested and the three lowest-scoring engineered-wood floorings swelled from heavy spills.

Consider doing it yourself

Homeowners install roughly half of all flooring. Floated floors are easiest. For vinyl, planks or tiles are easier to install than sheets.

Think safety

Almost all flooring scored good or better for wet and dry slip resistance. The Montado and Wicanders plastic laminates and two top Congoleum vinyls did especially well; the Anderson Pacific Cumberland Oak solid wood scored fair.

Be sure it's really green

Wood flooring certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative offers some assurance that it's from sustainably managed forests. But other flooring might have green attributes without those credentials. Vinyl flooring certified by the industry FloorScore program meets California standards, the nation's toughest, for volatile organic compounds, which are linked to health problems and pollution. Our picks are on that list. But vinyl floors still bring other concerns, such as phthalate exposure, along with manufacturing and disposal hazards.