Things About Hardwood Floors And Laminate Flooring Good And Bad Things
The choice between hardwood floors and laminate flooring can be quite confusing as there are many different options for each. Both of these types of flooring have pros and cons like anything else. The issues with them might be the deciding point for what you will buy and what will improve the value of your home. After you consider each one carefully you should make an informed decision.
Hardwood flooring is beautiful, durable, and can add a great deal of value to your home. It can however cost a small fortune to purchase and install. Installation of hardwood can be extremely difficult and you might want to consult a professional when you have it done to be sure that it is done right. Hardwood comes in two types. Hardwood comes in solid and manufactured.
Solid hardwood is the most expensive hardwood but it is more durable and has less problems with more value. It does not need a backer board and is generally installed on existing sub-floor. It normally comes in plank style that is cut directly from trees. Ordinarily it is solid wood and can be bamboo, adder, oak, or maple.
The other type of hardwood is called manufactured hardwood. It is considerably less costly and less durable than solid hardwood. It is also harder to refinish. It is made up of different pieces of hardwood much like a composite. It is more expensive and more durable than laminate and less water sensitive than laminate. All wood flooring is water sensitive. You will need to tell the store which type of hardwood you would like.
Laminate flooring is completely manufactured and might not contain any actual wood. It generally looks like real wood should but that is just a photographic overlay. They are very water sensitive and if you put them in a heavy water area such as a kitchen or bathroom they will warp pretty badly. This type of flooring is basically made like particle board is. One of the benefits to it is that it is fairly cheap as far as flooring goes.
Problems with laminate flooring are much like those of anything that is made from laminate. It is sensitive to water, climate, and atmospheric changes. It does not last as long as regular hard wood and can detract from the value of your home if you allow it to warp or become damaged.
Hardwood floors are harder to install than laminate is. Most laminate comes precut to a tongue and groove pattern. There is even some that is snap together kind of like legos are. You have to follow the manufacturers instructions for installation and it does expand and contract so you might need to do what is called floating. Also this type of flooring might require backing to it.
Depending on what type of flooring you choose the value of your home will be increased greatly or only marginally. This project like many others can be difficult in older or less conventional homes. Consult a professional before beginning the job so you know exactly what is involved with it. Also you might want to fully consider all of your flooring options if you are thinking about hardwood floors and laminate flooring.
Locating fabulous hardwood floors for your home is easy and fast! Getting the best hardwood or laminate flooring will give your home the distinctive style that you want and is an affordable way to increase your home value quickly!
