Deciding Between Hardwood and Hardwood Laminate
- Posted on April 27, 2015
Many of us dream of beautiful hardwood floors, but the cost and the upkeep might keep us from fulfilling that dream. However, if you love the look of hardwood floors, there are other options, such as hardwood laminate, that are less expensive and less difficult to maintain. Before making any decisions, let’s look at the pros and cons of hardwood floors and hardwood laminate flooring.
Hardwood Floors
Pros
Hardwood floors are beautiful to look at, and if you have hardwood flooring in your home already, you can renovate them or maintain them with a little bit of work.
Hardwood floors, along with making any room look nicer, can also up the value of your home, an important factor to consider if you are thinking about selling your home down the road. Hardwood floors are also very durable, which means that sometimes people will discover hardwood flooring in older houses underneath the newer carpet or laminate flooring.
Hardwood floors are also easy to clean and maintain, as they don’t stain easily and a little bit of wood polish applied from time to time will help them to regain their shine. Hardwood can also be refinished or sanded down when imperfections like scratches and dents occur.
Cons
Probably the biggest drawback to hardwood floors is the cost. Hardwood flooring is expensive to buy, anywhere from $9 to $12 per square foot, and it’s also more difficult to install. Hardwood flooring is also colder in the winter, and can be very loud when people walk across it (at least compared with carpet).
Hardwood floors can also be more difficult to maintain, since they can get scratched and scuffed and even dented. These issues can all be fixed, but if you have pets or lots of children running around, the maintenance might become an issue.
Hardwood Laminate
Pros
Hardwood laminate flooring is definitely less expensive than traditional wood flooring, and it is also easier to install. You could even install the flooring yourself, rather than hiring a professional, which would save you some money. Most wood laminate flooring comes in pieces that lock together, almost like puzzle pieces, making them quick and easy to put in.
Laminate flooring is also tougher than wood flooring, resisting most scratches, dents, and stains. Since laminate flooring isn’t real wood, you also don’t have to worry about not installing it in moist places, or about throwing out pieces with imperfections or other issues.
Cons
The biggest drawback to laminate wood flooring is simply that it isn’t real wood. Some people care about this more than others, but either way, it doesn’t have as much resale value as real hardwood floors do.
The other issue with laminate flooring is that it cannot be refinished or sanded down if it does get scratches, dents, or other issues. Hardwood floors last forever because they have that ability.
If you can afford hardwood floors and you’re thinking about selling your house later, hardwood floors might be the best for you. However, if you are fine with laminate flooring and want to keep your costs down, wood laminate flooring might be the solution.