Hallway carpeting and high traffic?

[Rex]

Has anyone tried commercial quality or some other high traffic carpet for hallways and normal residential plush carpeting for the bedrooms and living/dining rooms? Coming in from the garage, we have to walk through the hallways to the kitchen since the entrance from the garage isn't near the kitchen. This tracks dirt on wet days and adds lots of extra traffic when bringing in groceries unless we hassle with removing shoes to bring groceries in. Carpet runners in the hallways would be a hassle to clean, would mat down the carpet underneath and would become a trip hazard. Installing tile would be very expensive for the amount needed especially since that would necessitate also tiling the connected kitchen, bathroom and laundry so tile would never bizarrely connect with vinyl floors. I think there is a rule that says carpet can touch tile and vinyl can touch carpet, but vinyl cannot touch tile. Is there a rule that says not to have different grades of carpet on the same floor of a house? How would two different carpet styles connect at their borders without looking strange? So I'm considering a high traffic carpet in the hallway when the carpeting is redone. I wouldn't want this carpet in the other rooms.

[buffalobill]

the mat is black with a soft underfoot dirt grabbing spun nylon in 3 ft by 5 ft sizes so it holds lots of dirt but its charcoal color doesn't show the dirt. the size is in easy to remove and hose outdoors when needed. over a vinyl tile floor. try a mini shopping cart or rubbermaid busboy cart to transport the groceries more efficiently. maybe try easy slip on thongs or open back slippers or garden clogs at each outdoor exit for each occupant and a couple guest extra ones. soft warm floors so you want to walk barefoot or in socks. anti fatigue mats the soft colorful kind in the kitchen floor work triangle.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

There are no rules. You have my permision to put down what you want.

Coming in from the garage, I'd have a heavy duty floor mat at the entrance. That will get 90% of the dort. The kitchen should be an easy to clean vinyl or ceramic tile.

If the hallway is high traffic, consider an engineered wood (

for example) or laminate ( as it is easily cleaned, durable, looks good.

One one floor I have vinyl in the kitchend, the LR DR and hallway have the same carpet, but there is a strip of laminate up the stairs and into the kitchen right whee the hall and LR come together. Looks fine. If it was carpent it would have been worn out while the rest of hte house is still very good. That is why I chose it. Bedrooms and bath all have different floor, bt it is not odd looking as they ransition at the door and you don't see thema ll at the same time anyway.

Go to a local flooring store and ask for some ideas. Thee are many good products that can make you cleaning life easier.