In this article I will discuss the pros and cons of both laminate and hardwood flooring. By the end of this post you should be able to decide what will best fit your needs.
First I will cover hardwood flooring.
Pros:
(1.) Hardwood flooring can be refinished
(2.) Hardwood flooring ads real value to your home. Adds approximately 15% of value to your home.
(3.) Hardwood flooring is ecologically friendly. Many manufacturers must abide by strict guidelines when harvesting lumber. More trees are being replanted more than ever before.
(4.) Hardwood flooring is easy to maintain. Suppliers such as Bona-Kemi have made cleaners that will not damage the floor.
(5.) Hardwood is timeless and never goes out of style. Wood floors can truly last a lifetime.
(6.) Hardwood is hypo allergenic. Dust mites, mold, mildew and animal dander cannot grow and hide in hardwood.
(7.) Hardwood is affordable. While the cost of raw materials to make nylon carpet is going up; hardwood pricing is going down.
(8.) Hardwood will help sell a home faster. The perception of value that comes with hardwood, goes along way with most new home buyers.
Cons:
(1.) Hardwood floors are susceptible to denting.
(2.) Hardwood floors will scratch, Buying the right type of hardwood is key here.
(3.) Hardwood can get very expensive. You get what you pay for, so shop carefully.
(4.) Hardwood can be adversely affected by moisture. Moisture can ruin a floor.
(5.) Hardwood is not suitable for families with big dogs and children in most cases.
There are some wood floors that can handle traffic more effectively. Know the hardwood and its limitations.
(6.) Hardwood Floors will have to be refinished. This is also a pro.
(7.) Hardwood flooring can be difficult to install correctly. Hire a reputable contractor.
Laminate floors
Pros:
(1.) Laminate flooring is easy to install. Laminate is a great product for do it yourself projects. These floors can also be installed very quickly
(2.) Laminate is very scratch and dent resistant. You pretty much have to take a hammer to dent the stuff.
(3.) Laminate is inexpensive. Laminate floors are very reasonably priced. Some as little as .99 cents per square foot.
(4.) Laminate is also hypo allergenic. Once again, no dust mites or mildew.
(5.) Laminate comes in a variety of styles. You can now purchase hand scraped and distressed laminate.
(6.) Laminate floors are environmentally friendly. Recycled materials are used in the manufacturing process, this keeps waste out of the landfills.
(7.) Laminate floors are easy to maintain. Once again Bona_Kemi rules in the maintenance category
Cons:
(1.) Laminate will not add much value to your home. This is an inexpensive floor and in not considered permanent.
(2.) Laminate is adversely affected by moisture. Floods and topical moisture can be very costly.
(3.) Laminate floors sound hollow when you walk on them. Even the best underlayment will not make them silent.
(4.) Laminate floors cannot be refinished and will scratch. Nothing is scratch proof.
(5.) Laminate is prone to chipping. Direct pressure laminates can have serious micro-chipping issues. Learn the difference between direct and high pressure.
(6.) laminate floors can be hard to repair. Quality contractors are worth the money.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions at all please dont hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
The Floor Man
First I will cover hardwood flooring.
Pros:
(1.) Hardwood flooring can be refinished
(2.) Hardwood flooring ads real value to your home. Adds approximately 15% of value to your home.
(3.) Hardwood flooring is ecologically friendly. Many manufacturers must abide by strict guidelines when harvesting lumber. More trees are being replanted more than ever before.
(4.) Hardwood flooring is easy to maintain. Suppliers such as Bona-Kemi have made cleaners that will not damage the floor.
(5.) Hardwood is timeless and never goes out of style. Wood floors can truly last a lifetime.
(6.) Hardwood is hypo allergenic. Dust mites, mold, mildew and animal dander cannot grow and hide in hardwood.
(7.) Hardwood is affordable. While the cost of raw materials to make nylon carpet is going up; hardwood pricing is going down.
(8.) Hardwood will help sell a home faster. The perception of value that comes with hardwood, goes along way with most new home buyers.
Cons:
(1.) Hardwood floors are susceptible to denting.
(2.) Hardwood floors will scratch, Buying the right type of hardwood is key here.
(3.) Hardwood can get very expensive. You get what you pay for, so shop carefully.
(4.) Hardwood can be adversely affected by moisture. Moisture can ruin a floor.
(5.) Hardwood is not suitable for families with big dogs and children in most cases.
There are some wood floors that can handle traffic more effectively. Know the hardwood and its limitations.
(6.) Hardwood Floors will have to be refinished. This is also a pro.
(7.) Hardwood flooring can be difficult to install correctly. Hire a reputable contractor.
Laminate floors
Pros:
(1.) Laminate flooring is easy to install. Laminate is a great product for do it yourself projects. These floors can also be installed very quickly
(2.) Laminate is very scratch and dent resistant. You pretty much have to take a hammer to dent the stuff.
(3.) Laminate is inexpensive. Laminate floors are very reasonably priced. Some as little as .99 cents per square foot.
(4.) Laminate is also hypo allergenic. Once again, no dust mites or mildew.
(5.) Laminate comes in a variety of styles. You can now purchase hand scraped and distressed laminate.
(6.) Laminate floors are environmentally friendly. Recycled materials are used in the manufacturing process, this keeps waste out of the landfills.
(7.) Laminate floors are easy to maintain. Once again Bona_Kemi rules in the maintenance category
Cons:
(1.) Laminate will not add much value to your home. This is an inexpensive floor and in not considered permanent.
(2.) Laminate is adversely affected by moisture. Floods and topical moisture can be very costly.
(3.) Laminate floors sound hollow when you walk on them. Even the best underlayment will not make them silent.
(4.) Laminate floors cannot be refinished and will scratch. Nothing is scratch proof.
(5.) Laminate is prone to chipping. Direct pressure laminates can have serious micro-chipping issues. Learn the difference between direct and high pressure.
(6.) laminate floors can be hard to repair. Quality contractors are worth the money.
I hope this helps. If you have any questions at all please dont hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
The Floor Man
I truly like to reading your post. Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a nice information. I'll definitely add this great post in my article section.
ReplyDeleteTimber Flooring Sydney
Appreciate the info. We have 2 large and a small dog and know that we will have to replace the laminate in the apartment that we currently rent. We were trying to decide the best flooring for the house we are buying and from your site and others, we now know tile would be best.
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