Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Hardwood and Laminate Floors: and Cons Pros

Hardwood and Laminate Floors: and Cons Pros
Hardwood flooring can easily increase the value of a home.  Hardwood is durable and it creates a beautiful look for the home.  Wood floors are extremely versatile.  They will look good in kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, and bedrooms.  Floors come in a variety of woods, colors, and sizes to add a specific look to any home.
Wood floors don’t necessarily have to be solid wood.  Home owners can either purchase solid hardwood or laminated hardwood.  Laminated hardwood has a thin sheet of wood glued to pressed particle board.  Both have their pros and cons and consumers have to weigh their options to determine what will work best for their floors.
Cost


Installing wood floors in a new home or a remodel can get expensive.  Hardwood floors are an upgrade to the home so it only seems natural that it can get pricy.  With the variations in the types of wood floors, home owners can rest assure that there are options out there that won’t break the bank.  Laminate floors are less expensive than hardwood.  Hardwood is taken from trees and certain trees may be harder to find which will directly affect the price of the wood floors.  Laminate is made of compressed wood which can even be made from recycled wood.  If cost is an issue when determining the type of wood, then laminate would be the best product.
Durability
The way laminate floors are constructed makes them strong and able to withstand scratches.  Laminate can hold up against moisture and traffic better than hardwood.  Hardwood can get scratches easily.  Home owners have to take care of their hardwood to make sure that it doesn’t get damaged.  Many people have to place pads under the legs of their furniture to make sure that tables and couches don’t mark up the floor if they are moved around.  Animals like dogs and cats can also make scratches in the wood.
Maintenance
If the floors are damaged, hardwood floors can be easily repaired by sanding them down and fixing any imperfections.  Also hardwood floors tend to last for many more years compared to laminated floors.  Laminated floors are more difficult to repair.  It is easier to replace individual pieces of the floor.  This may be problematic if the colors have faded over the years making it difficult to match if sections need to be replaced.
Looks
Hardwood timber is the obvious choice if looks are most important.  Laminated mats may look fake if they are too cheap.  Hardwood timber floors will increase the value of the home and it 
will give the home a very desirable lo


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