When it comes to getting beautiful wooden floors installed into your home, the first question you have to ask yourself is whether you’d like laminate flooring or hardwood flooring. It’s a hard question to try and answer, since they both have their advantages and disadvantages. In some areas laminate flooring will do the trick, and in others, hardwood flooring is ideal. So it really depends on your situation, budget, and personal preferences.
Budget
First thing to consider is your budget. Hardwood flooring is going to cost you more: for both purchasing and installation. Laminate flooring is a manufactured product, made from composite wood pressed together at extremely high temperature. The laminate is then covered with a hardwood floor image, to give it a more authentic look. Whereas hardwood flooring is made of solid pieces of timber – and often from wood of a more exotic variety, which is where that extra cost comes in.
Flooring maintenance
Because it’s made from real wood, a well-laid hardwood floor can last a long time if it’s properly cared for. On the other hand, laminate flooring, which is softer and less durable, is usually expected to last around 15 years. This is a big reason why having hardwood floors can increase the value of your house, as it’s expected to require less maintenance and has a far lesser chance of needing to be replaced.
However, because laminate flooring is made from pressed wood, it is able to handle scratches and moisture much better than hardwood flooring. If you’ve got hardwood flooring in an area that has a lot of foot-traffic, you can expect to be able to see the signs of that traffic on your floor, whereas laminate flooring is able to handle regular scuffs and tread.
Laminate flooring is significantly easier to clean and maintain, and also has a higher stain resistance than hardwood flooring. It’s also less susceptible to stains, and can be used in any room of the house, including the bathroom. and because it’s UV protected, it’s much less likely to fade due to direct sunlight. Hardwood flooring, on the other hand, is a more natural product, and so is much more susceptible to stains.
Another point of difference is that hardwood flooring can easily be refinished and sanded again to give it that brand-new look. This is great for fixing scuffs and scratches in the wood. However, laminate flooring cannot be refinished. Once it’s laid and damaged, it needs to be replaced.
If you’d like to talk to a Wellington flooring company that can give you the best advice on the ideal flooring for your house, talk to us at Robert Inwood Flooring.