Closet Flooring Ideas

The right choice of flooring makes a closet -- and your clothes -- easier to keep clean. If the closet is a walk-in, you want a floor that's comfortable. Color and pattern help improve visibility, and that could be crucial in a small closet with limited light when you're looking for the right shirt.

If your closet opens into a bedroom or hallway, it's natural to run the flooring from that room into the closet. Many people make this choice, and it helps tie the closet into the overall style of the main room. Because the closet is dark and the door usually is closed, flooring installers often reserve the seconds from the main installation for the closet. Extending the floor eliminates the need for a transition at the closet door, and it's rare for it not to look good.

Unlike the kitchen or bathroom, a closet isn't a high-moisture area, so you don't need to worry about installing a moisture-resistant floor covering. The closet also isn't a high-traffic area, so the flooring doesn't have to be durable. Most closets are closed spaces with little to no ventilation, however, and mold can grow in such spaces, especially if you live in a humid climate. Closets tend to be dark so even if there is a light fixture, the light seldom reaches all the way to the floor, and corners tend to be difficult to see and keep clean.

If you choose to transition to a different floor covering in the closet, installing one that snaps together makes installation easy. Laminate and luxury vinyl tile floors install this way, and both are easy to maintain. Laminate flooring boards come finished with a smooth, durable coating and require only an occasional wipe down or vacuuming. One of the main advantages of luxury vinyl tiles, which are just as easy to keep clean, is they come in light colors that may brighten up the space and make it easier to find your socks.

If your closet is large enough to walk in, you may want something more luxurious than laminate or vinyl. Cork is an interesting option. It comes in snap-together planks, and has enough texture and give to make walking on it comfortable. However, the pits and holes that naturally occur in cork make it a challenging material to keep clean. Carpet is another foot-friendly option that's especially appropriate if the closet is difficult to heat. Besides keeping the floor warmer, it provides sound insulation.