How to Choose the Right Mudroom Flooring

Within the average day of an active household, often the front door is not the busiest entrance of the home that will see the most action. That distinction is usually reserved for the secondary entrance in your home, typically near a garage or carport, whether it’s kids and pets coming in from the yard or adults returning home after work and errands. This valuable area in the home is referred to as a ‘mudroom’ since it is the first line of defense between the great outdoors and the rest of your inspired interiors. An artfully designed mudroom will not only help your entire home stay cleaner by buffering any wet or dirty footwear, but also promote greater organization with designated locations for coats, umbrellas, backpacks, and gym bags. From handling the slushy winter season to helping contain back-to-school chaos, a stylish, helpful mudroom with versatile, high-performance flooring can make a significant difference in maintaining your home. Here are some of our favorite tips for how to choose mudroom flooring: 

Do I need waterproof or water-resistant mudroom flooring?
What is the most durable mudroom flooring?
How can I create an easy-to-maintain mudroom?

Do I need waterproof or water-resistant mudroom flooring? 

Whether it’s from splashing in springtime puddles or trudging through melting snow, first and foremost your mudroom needs to handle moisture, dirt, mud, winter slush, and everything in between! Immediately, waterproof hardwood, luxury vinyl, sheet vinyl, and laminate flooring will present the best flooring types to handle moisture with ease and not experience damage. Now it’s time to assess whether you need waterproof flooring or water-resistant flooring to handle the duties of a mudroom. Since both types will manage everyday moisture, think about your household conditions: Do you live in a climate with high humidity or heavy rainfall? Do you have kids and pets that can produce unseen spills and accidents with a high frequency? Waterproof floors will allow your mudroom to be exposed to liquids and spills without a time limit and withstand environmental conditions without compromise. Water-resistant floors can resist moisture, spills, and standing liquid under normal circumstances for a limited amount of time. If your home has more predictable conditions and a lower activity level, water-resistant flooring will serve your home well with proper maintenance, while also preserving more of your design budget. If you are in the market for water-resistant flooring, you will also have more design options available to choose from. Before purchasing a gorgeous waterproof flooring option such as Barrier 20 by Palmetto Road in Santorini, always verify the manufacturer’s warranty and review installation guidelines to ensure that your warranty is maintained against water damage.  
 

What is the most durable mudroom flooring?

Since your mudroom supports a busy entrance into your home, it’s wise to invest in high-traffic flooring that’s durable enough to withstand boots, high heels, cleats, and dropped items. Tracked-in dirt, mud, ice, and debris contain abrasive particles so your mudroom will also greatly benefit from scratch-resistant flooring. Waterproof hardwood and laminate flooring options will present the greatest durability to resist scuffs, scratches, dents, and markings in your mudroom. Many luxury vinyl flooring products feature rigid texture for greater durability while offering the resilient ‘give’ that cushion backpacks and gym bags being thrown to the floor. No matter what mudroom flooring option you are favoring, look for products with a reinforced aluminum oxide finish to provide maximum scratch and wear resistance. A water-resistant laminate option such as Hydrana Water Resistant Laminate Flooring by Beauflor in color Retro Chic Black also features an impressive AC5 wear rating, the highest level of durability classification for laminate products. Investing in a floor with superior durability will give you a mudroom that’s built to last!

How can I create an easy-to-maintain mudroom?

In addition to installing a durable, water-resistant, easy-to-clean flooring option in your mudroom, you can set up the space for success with thoughtful planning and organization. Start by placing outdoor entry mats so that your crew can wipe their footwear before ever entering the mudroom door. Next, place a shoe rack or design cubby holes in the mudroom where each family member has a specific location to place their footwear. Invest in a stain-resistant, machine-washable area rug if possible that matches your décor to provide an additional line of defense against spills, stains, outdoor debris, and dropped items from touching your mudroom floors. Consider using space-maximizing benches that will provide seating for removing footwear and have storage cubbies underneath. Use hooks on the wall to remind your family members to hang wet coats as opposed to throwing them on the floor. Add baskets and shelving as needed for discarded wet or dirty clothes and more spaces for items to be placed when entering the home. By choosing a suitable flooring option and taking these steps, cleaning your mudroom is as easy as sweeping or vacuuming your floor regularly to remove abrasive particles, and later using your Bona Multi Surface Floor Care Kit or damp-mop depending on the level of water resistance of your floors. For best results, clean all moisture and liquid as soon as you become aware of it, and your mudroom will serve your home with style and appearance for years. 

Talk to a Flooring Expert for Advice!

When you’re ready to explore mudroom flooring solutions that will help manage the traffic and adventures in your active home, take our Floor Genius Quiz to narrow down your favorite styles that will provide the needed performance for your household conditions. You can also talk to a Twenty & Oak floor expert with any questions you may have and take a virtual flooring showroom tour to see our wide array of fantastic varieties. Choose mudroom flooring that’s both valuable and eye-catching for true peace of mind!