Hardwood, laminate, stone and tile make for elegant-looking floors, but often cold feet as well.

Carpet is a popular option for many people, as it provides warmth and sound-dampening qualities. It may even increase the insulation value of rooms where it is installed.

Choosing a type and style, however, can be a daunting task, with so many options available. Questions to consider include cost, durability, stain-resistance, color-fastness, and ease of installation and repair.

Choices have increased, with the improvement of carpet tiles to the point where they can be considered a legitimate alternative to the more common broadloom or sheet carpeting, which runs wall to wall.

Carpet tiles, as the name suggests, come in squares that are fitted together. That allows more flexibility in creating patterns, covering smaller areas or replacing damaged sections.

It also makes it easier for homeowners to do the installation themselves. And it eliminates the need to put down a separate carpet pad, since each tile is individually backed.

Quality tiles aren't cheap though. As with broadloom carpeting, prices vary considerably, with better grades commanding much higher prices.

Before the advent of man-made materials, wool was the material of choice for most carpets. People have been weaving wool into rugs for more than 1,000 years.

Wool is still considered a particularly luxurious choice, albeit an expensive one. Wool costs more than nylon, polyester or polypropylene, also known as olefin.

According to carpet manufacturers, each material has advantages and disadvantages.

According to high-end manufacturer Karastan, polypropylene features good abrasion resistance, but tends to flatten quickly. Polyester, which Karastan manufactures from recycled plastic drink containers, features good color-fastness and resistance to water-soluble stains.

Nylon, however, is generally considered superior to both. It's typically rated just one notch below wool, for customers who want durability and softness without the expense of an all-wool weave.

Many carpets are woven from a combination of materials. Nylon is the most common carpet ingredient in the United States.

At Johnson Flooring in Newberg, owner Brent Johnson tries to match cost and quality with customer budgets and expectations.

A carpet that's going to take a lot of abuse should feature a better, more durable material, while one that will get only light use may stand up for a long time even if the quality of the material is lower, he said.

"If it's going to be in the main part of the house, where there's a lot of traffic, you have kids, you like to entertain, probably you want a higher-end carpet," Johnson said. "If you're a retired couple that just has the grandkids coming over once in a while, maybe you can get by with a less expensive one.

"Maintenance is a big part of it. If you buy a halfway decent piece of carpet and take really good care of it, it will last just as long as a really expensive piece that people don't take care of."

In addition to normal vacuuming, Johnson recommends professional cleaning every 12 to 18 months, to keep carpets looking their best over time.

Stain resistant does not mean dirt-proof - something that should be kept in mind when making color choices. In addition to leaving marks on the carpet, dirt granules can abrade carpet fibers.

Cost for sheet carpeting, not including pad and installation, ranges from $6 to $45 a yard, depending on the quality of the materials and workmanship. The pad must be purchased separately.

As with carpet, padding varies widely in quality, and thus price. However, it does not generally cost more than about $5 a yard.

Carpet tiles range from about $1.50 a yard to more than $25 a yard.

Some manufacturers allow customers to return the product at the end of its lifespan, to either be refurbished and resold at a lower price or broken down and re-manufactured into a new carpet. Like sheet carpeting, carpet tiles are available in a variety of materials, including wool.

Carpet does have a more limited lifespan than many flooring options - generally a maximum of 15 years, according to Johnson.

An advantage of tile over sheet is that if a tile becomes badly stained, it can easily be pulled up for cleaning or replacement. Some experts recommend buying a few extra tiles in the initial purchase, in order to guarantee an exact color match, as later dye lots may be slightly off.

Carpet tiles don't have be nailed to the floor like sheet carpeting. They are attached using double-sided tape.

Some companies supply their own adhesive materials.

Advocates of carpet tile note that owners can periodically pull it up and move the pieces around, exchanging those in high traffic areas for pieces that have been sitting under the furniture. That helps even out wear patterns and extend carpet life.

However, according to The Carpet Buyers Handbook, available online at http://www.carpetbuyershandbook.com, it's important to ensure the edges won't begin to lift, causing a tripping hazard.