Choosing the right product:
Flooring Guide
The Williams Guide to Choosing the Right Floor
Expert advice to help you find the perfect flooring for every room in your home
Choosing the right flooring can feel overwhelming with so many options available but it doesn’t have to be. At Williams Carpet & Flooring Outlet, we’ve been helping Wilmington customers find the best balance of style, comfort, and value for over five decades.
This guide is here to break down the essentials of each flooring type and show you which options work best for different areas of your home.
Flooring by
Material
Carpet & Carpet Tile
Carpet is the classic choice for comfort and warmth. Available in countless colors, textures, and patterns, it’s one of the most versatile flooring options for creating a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Carpet also provides sound absorption, making it a great choice for bedrooms, living rooms, and playrooms where peace and quiet are a priority. Today’s carpets are designed with stain-resistant fibers and durable backings, meaning they stay beautiful longer even in busy households. From soft, luxurious styles for relaxation to tough, low-pile options built for high-traffic areas, carpet continues to be a favorite for families.
Carpet tiles offer the same comfort and design appeal as traditional carpet but with added flexibility. Installed in modular squares, they make it easy to mix patterns, create unique layouts, or simply replace a single tile if it becomes stained or worn without replacing the entire floor. This makes them a cost-effective and practical solution for offices, playrooms, and other high-traffic spaces. Carpet tiles are also quick to install and can often be placed without adhesives, making them a convenient choice for DIY projects.
The Bottom Line:
Whether you’re looking for the soft, seamless feel of traditional carpet or the customizable flexibility of carpet tiles, both options provide comfort, warmth, and style at a value that works for every home.
Luxury Vinyl: LVP & LVT
We’re the Southeast’s exclusive dealers of Canopy and Canyon
flooring companies
Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) is designed to replicate the look and feel of hardwood flooring with incredible realism. With advanced imaging and textured surfaces, it captures everything from rustic oak to modern gray-washed finishes. Beyond its looks, LVP is 100% waterproof, making it a smart choice for kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms. It’s also scratch- and dent-resistant, which means it holds up beautifully in busy households with pets and kids. Many options include cushioned or rigid cores that make them comfortable underfoot and quiet to walk on.
Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) offers the elegance of stone, ceramic, or porcelain tile—but with the warmth and comfort vinyl provides. Unlike traditional tile, LVT doesn’t feel cold underfoot, and it’s softer, which makes it more forgiving on joints and safer for families. It’s also waterproof, stain-resistant, and easier to install and maintain than natural stone or ceramic. With endless colors, patterns, and finishes available, you can create a high-end look at a fraction of the cost.
Best for: Kitchens, family rooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements, and high-traffic living spaces.
Traditional Hardwood & Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Traditional Hardwood Flooring delivers timeless beauty, natural warmth, and long-term value. Each plank is made from solid wood, which means it can be refinished multiple times and last for generations. It’s a classic choice that adds instant character and resale value to your home.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring is built with a top layer of real hardwood over a stable plywood or high-density core. This construction makes it less prone to warping or shifting due to changes in temperature or humidity—making it a better fit for basements, kitchens, or homes near the coast. Engineered hardwood is also often more affordable than solid hardwood while still offering the same authentic wood look. With today’s manufacturing, engineered hardwood comes in a wide variety of wood species, finishes, and plank sizes, giving you design flexibility without sacrificing performance.
Best for: Foyers, living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms and areas with low to moderate humidity.
Tile Flooring
Ceramic Tile:
Ceramic tile is one of the most popular flooring choices for areas that demand durability and easy upkeep. It’s resistant to scratches, stains, and moisture, making it ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. With endless colors, shapes, and patterns available, ceramic offers a wide range of design possibilities at a budget-friendly price point.
Porcelain Tile:
Porcelain is a denser, more durable type of ceramic that provides extra resistance to moisture and wear. Because of its strength, porcelain is an excellent choice for high-traffic areas and spaces where spills or splashes are common. It’s also available in a variety of finishes, from sleek modern looks to realistic stone textures, giving you both style and performance in one.
Natural Stone Tile:
Natural stone—including marble, travertine, and granite—brings timeless sophistication to any home. These tiles offer unmatched character and durability, with each stone featuring its own unique patterns and veining. While natural stone often requires more maintenance than ceramic or porcelain, its beauty and prestige make it a stunning choice for homeowners who want to make a lasting design statement.
Glass Tile:
Glass tile adds a sleek, modern touch to interiors. Known for its luminous finish and reflective qualities, it brightens rooms and creates a polished look. Glass is often used as an accent or feature floor in smaller spaces, and it pairs beautifully with other tile materials for a truly custom design.
Flooring by
Room
Kitchen & Bath
Kitchens and bathrooms face heavy foot traffic and constant exposure to moisture. That’s why waterproof options like LVP, LVT, and tile are top choices. These materials combine durability with style, giving you floors that stand up to everyday life while looking beautiful.
Bedroom & Living Room
These are the heart of the home and places for comfort and relaxation. Carpet is a popular choice for its softness and warmth, while hardwood and LVP offer timeless style with easy maintenance. Whatever your style, Williams has options in stock to fit your vision.
The Williams Advantage
When you shop at Williams Carpet & Flooring Outlet, you’re choosing more than just a flooring store—you’re choosing a family-owned business trusted in Wilmington for over 30 years.
- Half a million sq. ft. of in-stock flooring
- Best prices in Southeastern North Carolina
- Expert in-house design services
- Professional installation crews
- Custom rug creation tailored to your space
