What kind of flooring will be suitable for a home is always a very important consideration for every homeowner? Wood flooring always remains the most popular option, as wood is a natural, beautiful, and also timeless material. In most of the older homes, people have used the original hardwood type of floors but these days people use laminate.
Laminate flooring is nothing but an imitation of hardwood to create a natural appearance similar to the wooden floor but at a much lower price. Laminate floors are also easier than hardwood floor installation.
Let us see the pros & cons of both hardwood and laminate wood flooring so that we can appreciate the differences between these two options.
Hardwood floor
Pros:
- You will get a very beautiful and natural texture of hardwood floors that will create a great appeal for most homeowners. There are many different varieties of woods that you can select from having different types of stains, and finishes. There are abundant options available.
- Hardwood will be your real deal because it is very gorgeous and, based on your type of wood, you can add lots of value to your own home.
- Hardwood can always be repaired just by sanding any imperfections and refinishing. Because of this, hardwood has a certain edge over laminate and can last for many years.
Cons:
- Hardwood floors can easily get scratched if you do not maintain them properly. Besides, certain types of hardwood floors also get discolored if they remain exposed to the sunlight for a very long time.
- The cost of solid wood flooring can be quite high and also their cost of installation is much higher than laminates. However, you have to remember that hardwood floorings are made of any harvested trees. Therefore, pricing will depend on what type of wood that you select. Generally, hardwood is costlier to buy and install.
- Hardwood can get damaged because of excessive moisture and may show wear, particularly in high trafficked areas.
Laminate wood floor
Pros:
- There will not be a scratch on laminate flooring as easy as any hardwood floors, hence its appearance will not get changed as much.
- Laminate wood flooring materials are cheaper, and also installation cost is also almost 50% less as compared to hardwood installation.
- As laminate is made out of pressed wood, hence it is much more durable and can resist scratches, wear and tear, moisture. You can easily clean any laminate flooring.
Cons:
- Since laminate flooring will be synthetic, though its design copies the look of wood, but it does not look as genuine.
- Although laminate can be more durable, but visually it is not as appealing. Few lower-quality laminates may look like artificial wood grain textures.
- It is difficult to repair laminate flooring. If you purchase flooring from individual pieces and want to replace it later then the new piece will mostly not match properly.
You can find more details about both types of flooring on the internet and you may Click here to know more.
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