Are you aching to rip out that dingy carpet and install gorgeous hardwood flooring throughout your home? Although it might seem simple to waltz into a flooring store and pick your favorite shade, it can be hard to decide between all of the available hardwood flooring options. Here are the three main types of hardwood flooring, and a few tips for making the right decision:
1: Laminate
What are you looking for in a hardwood floor? If you are mainly focused on keeping costs low and transforming the look of your space, you should consider a laminate. Laminate flooring contains long strips of durable fiberboard, printed with a realistic wood pattern and then topped with a durable layer of resin. Here are a few reasons you should consider installing laminate:
- Economical: If you are worried about staying within a budget, laminate flooring is the hardwood choice for you. Laminate flooring starts at around 90¢ per square foot, which means that you might be able to replace huge areas of your house while staying within budget.
- Children or Pets: After investing money into brand-new floors, the last thing you probably want to worry about keeping them nice. Unfortunately, if you have kids or pets, maintaining flooring can be a huge challenge. As kids and pets run though your home, you might find knocked over juice cups and scratches from pet claws. However, the resin layer present on the surface of laminate is strong enough to fend off scratches and to resist wear patterns for years.
Laminate flooring is so durable that many manufacturers offer lifetime warranties on their products. If you want to live in your home without babysitting your new flooring, you might love new laminate flooring.
2: Engineered Hardwood
Because laminate floors last and last, they are the popular choice for retailers. However, if you don't want your home to feel like the inside of that mini-mall down the street, you might want to consider installing engineered hardwood floors instead. Engineered hardwood is made from several layers of different materials, topped with a real wood veneer. Here are some great things about engineered hardwood flooring:
- Easy to Install: One of the best things about engineered hardwood flooring is that it is incredibly easy to install. Many engineered hardwoods contain simple tongue-in-groove systems that can be clicked together over a soft floor covering. If you have a free Saturday and a chop saw, you can install engineered hardwood on your own, which can save you money.
- Blocks Moisture: Engineered hardwood is designed with several layers that repel moisture, which makes it perfect for damp basements, kitchens, and bathrooms.
- Feel of Real Wood: Another great thing about engineered hardwood is that it actually feels like real wood. The wood veneer can be stained and finished just like traditional hardwood, so your guests won't be able to tell the difference.
Engineered hardwood is the perfect blend of durability and aesthetics, giving you the best of both worlds.
3: Solid Hardwood Plank Flooring
If you have money to spare, you might be interested in installing rock-solid, permanent hardwood floors. Real hardwood floors are made from carefully cut and sanded solid wood planks, laid out and nailed to your subflooring. Here are a few nice things about solid hardwood plank flooring:
- Refinishing: Those floors look great now, but how will they look in thirty years? One of the cool things about hardwood flooring is that it can be sanded down and refinished about 10 times over the course of its lifespan.
- Totally Customizable: If you are going for a very specific design aesthetic, real hardwood flooring might give you the opportunity to show off your personal style. You can choose from thousands of real wood options, each with its own sheen, color, and grain pattern. Professionals can also distress or hand-scrape the wood to give it a little more character.
Solid hardwood flooring is an upscale option that might add value to your home, and make your place feel like a warm, polished estate.
Finding hardwood floors that accommodate your lifestyle might help you to keep them in decent shape, so you can enjoy them for many years to come.
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