When considering cork flooring pros and cons, you may have toyed with the idea of getting other types of flooring, including hardwood. But how does it compare in price? Your new cork flooring can cost less than hardwood, depending on the wood type you choose. Cork costs about $5 to $19 per square foot, while hardwood costs $6 to $25 per square foot.

It depends on what’s important to you. For instance, if you’re looking for the lowest-priced carpet material, consider polyester. Alternatively, you could go with olefin (also known as polypropylene), another synthetic carpet material that costs about the same as polyester. Otherwise, if durability is the priority, nylon or wool would be a better choice. 

Not sure what you need? A local carpet installer can explain the difference between various carpet types and help you decide what’s best for your home.

You can get away with stretching the carpet with some remaining items of furniture, so long as you have ready access to the parts of the carpet that require maintenance and you are not stretching through the furniture, as this leads to tears and fraying. Try to remove at least 50% of the furniture if you can’t remove it all.

No, squeaky floors do not always mean there is structural damage. The noise is often caused by friction from issues like loose floorboards, gaps between the subfloor and joists, or loose subflooring. While many squeaks are harmless, persistent or worsening noise could indicate a more severe problem. If you notice other signs of structural damage—such as soft or sagging floors, cracks running from the wall to the ceiling, or horizontal cracks in your foundation—it's best to have a professional inspect your floor to determine the root cause.