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There are many advantages
of laminate flooring over wood flooring. Can you really
tell the difference between a laminate floor and a real
wood floor?
When you look at a laminate floor you
will see the pattern repeat itself such as the knots,
grain, etc., whereas on a real wood floor these marks
would be totally random. The frequency of the pattern
that is printed onto laminate flooring can be repeated
every 3rd or 4th board, but in some cases all of the
boards can be identical in appearance. The other sign
of a real wood floor is the fact that they dent more
easily and generally don’t stand up to heavy traffic,
unlike laminate flooring. Have a look at laminate
flooring ratings for further information on traffic
durability. |
| If you don’t mind
paying the extra, and prefer the character of real wood
that develops with time, then a real wood floor is probably
your best choice. A real wood floor generally costs
20% to 25% more than an identical floor that is laid
using laminate flooring. However due to the public’s
perception of a real wood floor, this initial extra
money will probably be recouped on the increased resale
value of your home.
The term “laminate flooring”
refer’s to the European type of laminate flooring,
which many people in America refer to as “Pergo”
flooring. Pergo was one of
the first to introduce laminate flooring into the US
and is simply a brand name.
When talking about real wood floors,
this can either mean "solid" or "engineered"
wood flooring. Before the introduction of the European
type of laminate flooring into the American market,
the engineered type of wood flooring was referred to
as laminate flooring by a lot of the flooring dealers
in the US. A solid wood floor is normally 18mm thick,
and once installed can then have the final finish applied
afterwards. Pre-finished solid floor boards can also
be installed, with just a final amount of finishing
required at the end.
In the American market it is the engineered
type of flooring that is most commonly confused with
the European type of laminate flooring. With engineered
flooring the boards are made up from various layers
called “ply’s”. The top layer, called
the “wearing layer”, is approximately 3mm
thick and is commonly made from oak, cherry, or maple.
Engineered flooring tends to be more stable than solid
wood flooring in a lot of situations, and a significant
cost saving can also be gained over solid floor boards.
Engineered flooring can be free floating, glued down
or stapled, and refinished just the same as a solid
floor. For a detailed description of the construction
of laminate flooring, take a look at our laminate
flooring makeup page.
Laminate flooring is a highly durable
product, but if it gets scratched or worn, then it cannot
be refinished unlike real wood flooring. Real wood floors
can simply be sanded down and re-finished like new.
However, if you would like a floor that withstands heavy-traffic
from normal family life, and is easy to install and
care for, then laminate flooring is an ideal solution.
The choice between laminate flooring
and real wood flooring can depend on a few different
situations and the following may help in making your
decision:
- The location of the property and its current style
can determine your choice. Does the current value
of your property warrant the expense of good quality
real wood flooring ?
- If you are looking to increase the resale value
of your property, then you need to consider the
investment value of your new floor, and the amount
by which it may increase the value of your property.
- Do you plan on staying in your current property
for a while to make full use of a new floor, or
are you looking to sell the property in the near
future.
- If you have set a budget, then get the best product
for your money. It may be better to install good
quality laminate flooring than to choose cheaper
quality real wood flooring.
- The durability of laminate flooring is better
than real wood flooring. What sort of traffic and
abuse will the new floor have to deal with ?
- Laminate flooring is available in water resistant
and waterproof ranges and can therefore be installed
into kitchens and bathrooms. Real wood flooring
would be a lot more unstable in this kind of environment
because of the humidity levels.
- Laminate flooring usually comes with a 10 to 15
year warranty against staining and fading from the
sunlight.
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