You may want to avoid cheap laminate, carpet, and vinyl flooring, and instead turn to hardwood, whether it's real or engineered. When choosing the right flooring for your living room, you will ...

Runner-Up: Vinyl Flooring Sheet vinyl floors became popular with homeowners in the 1950s (sometimes with layer ­upon layer put down as tastes changed) for several good reasons.

Why identifying your flooring type matters. Why go through this hassle? First, knowing whether your floors are vinyl or linoleum will allow you to properly care for them.