Flooring

So, you’re thinking about upgrading your home. Look around. What is something you’ve been wanting to renovate for a while now? How about the floors? Are they in serious need of an upgrade?

Let’s talk about two different types of flooring used in remodeling: hardwood and laminate flooring. These two types of flooring are valuable in their own way. They both offer you something, but they are very different. This is all about hardwood vs laminate and which one is the best choice for you.

HARDWOOD VS LAMINATE VALUE

First let’s discuss the value of each flooring. When you go to sell your home, it will be more advantageous if you were to have hardwood flooring. Laminate can be beautiful, but it isn’t the real thing. People love to have authenticity in their home. REAL hardwood flooring adds something that other flooring materials cannot duplicate. It’s also been said to be much better for your home’s environment. “Choosing hardwood flooring is one of the wisest environmental decisions you will ever make. In addition to having an unlimited lifespan, hardwood flooring is made from one of our greatest renewable natural resources: despite the felling of millions upon millions of trees to make wood products, our forests are even healthier today than they were a century ago.” (Wickham Hardwood Flooring)

But price is another huge factor people need to consider when deciding between hardwood and laminate. Since laminate isn’t the real deal, it is going to be cheaper. Laminate is made from composite wood, therefore it is less expensive to produce than hardwood. Hardwood flooring will inevitably be more expensive for the installation as well as the product.

LONGEVITY OF HARDWOOD VS LAMINATE

Laminate flooring will be more durable. It resists scratches, moisture, plus normal wear and tear. Hardwood can easily get marked up over time. It can get damaged from excessive moisture and will definitely show wear in high traffic areas. You may want to consider your options for a heavily trafficked room or area. And although laminate is more durable (depending on the quality you purchase), it sometimes isn’t as visually appealing. When duplicating the look of hardwoods, some products may have an artificial wood grain appearance.

Laminate needs less maintenance when it comes to short term cleanings. However, if you have to repair the laminate flooring, that may prove to be difficult. Laminate fades over time and it has pieces which just snap together. If you were to go and replace a piece, the shade of the “wood grain” could be different. Whereas repairing hardwood flooring is much easier. Since it’s hardwood, you can sand it down and refinish it however you’d like. Hardwood can last for years if you take care of it properly.

It’s easy to see that both laminate and hardwood have their pros as well as cons. As a consumer you must decide which one works best for your home and your situation. There are many different factors that go into this decision and it should be well thought out.

Update 2021: At this time, laminate flooring is no longer available at our stores.