Carpets are old news as the new trend is to have Hardwood floor or laminated floors for your house. But the question arises as to which is better? Hardwood/Laminated? The easiest answer is yes hardwood flooring is better quality and very durable. Both flooring types do have their own benefits when it comes to selecting the type of flooring that will best suit your individual needs.
So what is laminated flooring?
The word laminate speaks for itself and the material used for the laminate floor is fibreboard. Fibreboard is coated on the very top of its surface with the choice of designed pattern that makes it look either like the hardwood floor or another type of material. The durability of this is topped up with a wear resistant layer that makes it long lasting.
Laminate flooring has its own benefits. It can be installed as a floating floor, which means that it will not require any fasteners or glue that will attach it to the surface. The laminated floor planks are connected together when laying them down as a floating floor. This makes it much more easier then laying down hardwood flooring as that requires much more skill and hard work. Laminated floor also comes with a factory finish and does not require any finish or recoating. It come’s prefinished packed into boxes with guidelines and can be done on your own just like another DIY project at home.
Laminate flooring is slightly a cheaper option due to its production, material and ease of installation, but obviously that also has its downsides.
Hardwood Flooring?
Hardwood flooring can come in its purest form which is totally 100% wood and also comes in factory finished or engineered wood with comes with a plywood base. The pure 100% hardwood floor has the most benefits and can’t be matched by factory finished or engineered wood.
Premium hardwood flooring assures that it is very long lasting and can last for decades. Laminate flooring is only good for maybe 10 years! Hardwood floors can last a lifetime if looked after properly and very well maintained. If the floor does become scratched all over and bumps in it from the heels you wear around at home then it is just as easy as sanding it down a layer and recoating! This will give you a brand new look and hence very long lasting.
All these benefits that the hardwood flooring has to offer come at a price when installed originally. It takes great skill and dedication to get the flooring installed and finished. Don’t worry the price you will pay for it to be installed will be covered by the increase in the value of your home and that is for ever. As long as the hardwood flooring is in a decent shape it is bound to increase the resale value of any property. You can think of it as an investment opportunity.
This should answer most questions you might have for the flooring choice between laminated or hardwood. Both the types have their benefits and also negatives. It comes down to what you actually need it for. If you are in a hurry and don’t have the budget then laminated flooring would be the best choice. If you do have the time and the budget then go for the hardwood flooring as it will last much longer and will repay its value when you decide to sell. Both choices are not bad and both types will give your property a nice clean look. The choice is entirely yours.
Happy Moving Everyone