If you’re struggling to decide between solid wood flooring and laminate for your home, this article aims to outline some of the pros and cons of each flooring type. Both are extremely popular, but each has a different set of benefits, as you’ll see.
Real wood flooring
Wood flooring is timeless. It adds warmth and character to any room, and never goes out of style. In addition, it goes with all kinds of décor, from traditional and rustic to contemporary and minimalist, so will still look great if you redecorate in future.
Many eco-conscious consumers prefer hardwood as it is a renewable resource.
If you purchase your wood flooring from a reputable manufacturer, such as www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk, you will be able to ask about their sustainability credentials. The National Wood Flooring Association points out that the average net growth for hardwoods is higher than the average net removals.
Wood flooring can be very expensive, and it can cost many thousands of pounds to re-floor an entire property in wood. Having said that, wood does often add considerable value to homes, so you may well recoup your expenditure when the time comes to sell. It’s even possible to add more to the value of your home than you actually spent on your flooring.
Laminate flooring
Laminates have been extremely popular with homeowners over the past couple of decades, replacing carpets in many homes. They offer the same warmth and style as solid wood, but without the price tag. In addition, many laminates are now suitable to be used in areas not usually suited to wood flooring, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Laminates are available in a wide range of styles, colours and finishes, meaning it’s usually possible to recreate the look and feel of the wood you want. Choose from wide plank style flooring, or more contemporary style laminates to complement your décor.
Laminates are designed to be easy to install, and most keen DIYers should be able to lay laminate in a regularly shaped room without too much difficulty. Wood flooring is a more specialist job and requires more experience and knowledge to get right. Laminate, however, will not generally add to your home’s value in the way that wood will, and some cheaper laminates do looks artificial and not as attractive as wood.
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