Last updated on March 16, 2023

Trying to find the best home renovation materials to use for your remodel?

Material selection is an important part of whole home renovation planning. The materials you choose today could last for decades or even the lifetime of your home if you focus on quality and durability.

With all the options available, some homeowners can get stuck in the selection process. To make your next project easier, you can get inspired with five outstanding remodeling materials and the benefits that they bring.

1: Glass for Bathroom Remodeling and Renovation

Bathrooms haven’t changed a lot in the last few decades, but some popular materials have. Tiles are still preferred in most bathrooms for walls and floors. You can bring even more beauty when you make use of glass for shower and bath enclosures.

Modern tempered glass can last for the lifetime of your home, and frameless panels look great with modern bathroom designs. Glass is practical because it won’t stain and it’s easy to clean. It will also never deteriorate in an environment that is constantly exposed to moisture.

Glass has another benefit, in the way that it can improve the sense of space. A small bathroom could feel cramped once the shower and bath installations go in. Glass enclosures and doors will allow you to see the true size of the room, making it feel larger and brighter.

If you do use glass enclosures in your bathroom, try pairing with highly polished stainless steel, brass, or gold-plated hardware. The reflective surfaces will perfectly complement the sheen of clear glass.

glass bathroom renovation material

2: Engineered Wood Flooring for Complete Home Renovation

For decades, hardwood has been one of the best materials for luxury floor finishing. A whole home renovation will see you tearing up your old flooring and installing something new. It could be time to consider a material designed for modern convenience.

Engineered hardwood tackles moisture and maintenance problems that solid hardwood has always suffered from. With natural timber planks, your floor will be susceptible to moisture damage, warping, and movement. As the climate changes throughout the year, a hardwood floor will suffer.

Engineered hardwood is more stable, and you won’t see it move or warp during the year. This can make your flooring look more consistent, and, ultimately much nicer overall. Like natural wood, you’ll be able to get several different material choices at much lower prices than solid planks. From exotic Brazilian tigerwood to scraped hickory and white oak, the choices are vast.

The cost of maintenance is low, and you can even refinish some engineered hardwood floors at the higher end of the quality range.

Use this material in your kitchen if you want the look of natural wood without any of the moisture downsides. Hardwood can also be used in your bathroom for the same reasons. In fact, this is a material that you can use throughout your home if you like the aesthetic, making it an excellent choice for whole home remodeling or renovation in Des Moines.

manufactured hardwood flooring renovation material

3: Insulated Windows for Every Room in the Home

Windows are amongst the most important elements in your home. Sadly, they are often overlooked when beginning a project. If your home is over 20 years old and hasn’t seen significant remodeling or renovation, then your current windows probably aren’t giving you all the benefits that modern replacements can.

Insulated windows come with several advantages that aren’t found on older installations.

By installing insulated windows, you will enjoy more versatility with different designs and coatings that add efficiency and long-term value. Low-e glass coatings are used on insulated windows to increase energy efficiency and reduce heat transfer from direct sunlight. You’ll still enjoy a brighter home from large windows, but you won’t lose heating or cooling energy from your HVAC system. Insulated materials can be combined with the frames of your choice for whole home renovation. Whether you prefer wood, aluminum, vinyl, or fiberglass, the best contractors in Des Moines will create a solution that works.

Insulated windows can also reduce outside noise factors. Lawnmowers in the neighborhood, noisy neighbors, or even general environmental noise can all be blocked out, making your home feel quieter and more comfortable. Insulated windows will also keep sound inside, so you won’t disturb your neighbors during your next dinner party or movie night.

insulated window renovation material

4: Ceramic Tiles for More Creative Flooring Designs

Engineered wood is a great flooring material but it’s not the perfect solution for every homeowner. If you want floors that are even more durable, ceramic tiles could be the perfect fit.

Ceramic tiles are often used in warmer climates, but they can also work great in areas with temperature extremes throughout the year, such as Des Moines in Iowa.

Patterned tiles use high DPI inkjet printing technology to create elaborate designs that can give any room in your home a bespoke look and feel. You could create a Mediterranean inspired bathroom, a traditional tile kitchen, or even a living room that has a little more color and creativity than usual.

ceramic tile flooring renovation material

Ceramic tiles can also be used to replicate the look of other materials in complete home renovation. The printing technology can make tiles look like wood, slate, marble, natural stone, granite, and virtually any other material that you can think of.

The best thing about tiles is that they are affordable, even if you choose high end options. The only real upkeep comes in the form of sweeping and cleaning, which will be minimal considering that tiles are completely solid and impervious to moisture. You could use a static mop to keep your floor looking great, and any spills can easily be wiped away.

Tiles will need the grout to be cleaned and sealed once a year, which will protect the substrate and grout from deterioration. With regular maintenance, grout will last for up to thirty years, or even longer in areas with low traffic.

Overall, ceramic tiles are amongst the longest lasting materials you can use in a home renovation, and the endless design options make them perfect if you want a home that reflects some of your own personality.

dark slate ceramic tile renovation material

5: A Natural Touch of Timber with Crown Molding

There’s a unique look that comes from wooden crown molding that can elevate any room in your home. Finishing your walls with crown molding and baseboards will give an elegant aesthetic that is hard to ignore.

Think of crown molding and baseboards as a final touch for any renovated room. You can customize molding to suit your sense of style, with larger pieces becoming more popular in modern and transitional homes. This small investment won’t add a lot to your final remodeling bill, but it will help to tie the aesthetic of any room together, giving you a fit and finish that exudes quality.

crown molding renovation material

Get Your Home Renovations Right with HomeWorx Iowa

Is it time to bring a new aesthetic to your home? If your interiors are tired and dated, you can perform a complete home renovation that will bring back the pride that you once felt for your living spaces.

We’ve talked about five excellent materials that can be used for remodeling and renovation, but there’s a lot more to think about as you work through your improvement checklist. If you are looking for a team that can take you through each room, step by step, then it’s time to talk to HomeWorx Iowa.

We are a complete home renovation company and can assist you from design to completion. Our team will even 3D model your major improvements so that you can see exactly how materials and layouts will work together.

With the best materials and Iowa’s best contractors, you can create a better home that is suited to your needs today and in the future. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation today.