Choosing the right flooring for your home can be a difficult decision, whether you choose real wood or opt for a similar version in laminate flooring.
But does what you choose in the end really make a difference, and what impact will this have on you and your home?
There can be many advantages to choosing laminate flooring over real wood, perhaps the most obvious being the difference in price. More often than not, real hardwood flooring boards can be more expensive and require more time to install. On the contrary, opting for a laminate floor can save time and money and still look just as good.
The first real difference between laminate flooring and real wood flooring is that laminate flooring will have repeating patterns like knots and grain, while real wood flooring will have much more sporadic patterns, making it completely random. Real wood floors can dent quite easily and are not as durable as laminate.
Laminate flooring is extremely durable, but if it does get damaged, it’s much easier to refinish real wood flooring due to the nature of the product. Hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished to look like new, but not with laminate.
Laminate flooring can take as little as a day to install depending on the size of the room and can be ready to use once installed. Depending on the type of finish, the wood planks may need time to dry and possibly put the room out of service for longer. So for those who have large families or cannot live without all the space in their homes, laminate flooring would be the best option.
Redesigning your home can add considerable value, not only in appearance but also in financial terms, so with this in mind, it’s worth knowing that real hardwood floors often add more value, so depending on if you plan to stay in your property for the foreseeable future or if the sale plan could be a factor in the debate about real wood flooring or laminate.
The good thing about laminate flooring is that it can be used anywhere in the house, as it is often waterproof, making it a good choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Real wood flooring would not be the best choice for these areas for obvious reasons, such as moisture damaging the wood and damaging it in the long run.
No matter what type of flooring you choose to install in your home, always check to see that there is a warranty that goes with it, just in case something goes wrong.
Keeping any floor clean is an easy job, with most laminate floors a simple sweep and mop will keep the floor looking shiny and clean, and with real wood floors a sweep and re-oil or re-wax It will have you looking like new in no time. .
Whichever floor you choose is a personal choice and there are pros and cons to both, but if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to real hardwood flooring, opting for a similar laminate could save you time and money. However, nothing can compare to the look and feel of a real hardwood floor.
Either way, choosing laminate or wood over carpet is now more on-trend and definitely keeps your home looking cleaner for longer.
