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Pros & Cons Of Wood Laminate Flooring

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There’s never a bad time to consider renovating your home. Many homeowners choose to renovate piece by piece over the course of time. When it comes to renovating your floors, wooden floors may seem like a great option. Wood floors look great, last for decades, and add a strong decorative touch to your home. The problem with wood floors is that they’re far more expensive than other flooring options. Because wood floors can be pricey, more and more homeowners are choosing to use wood laminate flooring instead. For information on what flooring is the right option for your project, check out our article on choosing the best flooring.

What Is Wood Laminate Flooring?

Let’s go over what exactly wood laminate flooring is made from. Comprised of multiple layers laminated together, this synthetic flooring usually has a bottom layer made from plastic and wood fibers. Then, a photographic applique of wood is applied, followed by a clear, protective layer. This technique allows for floors to have near photo-realism with a vast range of potential color, texture, and grain options.

Wood Laminate Flooring Pros

The biggest pro is price. Wood laminate is much cheaper than the real wood alternative. You can buy wood laminate for as little at $1.50 per square foot. Compare that to the $4 per square foot for real wood and that can quickly add up. Installation is also much more straightforward than real wood or carpet. Most laminate is designed with tongue and groove edges so laying and installing flooring is quick and efficient. Laminate is tough, durable, and will resist things like scratches better than hardwood.

Wood Laminate Flooring Cons

Because it is layered plastic and coating, laminate floors can not be refinished. If standing water is left untreated, laminate flooring will need to be replaced. Check the warranty of your laminate flooring to ensure it covers such incidences. Cheaper laminates won’t have such protections.

If you think you’re ready to start the remodeling process, or still have some questions about flooring, we’d love to talk with you. With years of flooring experience, we can help you complete any home project on time and on budget. Fill out our free work estimate to get started today!

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Choosing The Best Flooring

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If you’re remodeling your house or simply want to freshen up the home you’re in, new flooring is a great way to accomplish that. With so many types of flooring, picking the right one can prove challenging. We’ve compiled a list of various flooring types to help you weigh the benefits and potential problems of each. When you’re ready to get new floors installed, we’d love to help. We offer a full line of flooring installation services that can fit any project.

Carpet Flooring

We’re not talking about that light-green, shag carpet your aunt had in her basement; unless you’re into that sort of thing. Modern carpet is comfortable, easy to clean, and durable. When choosing which carpet will be the best fit for your room, consider things like foot traffic, stain-resistance, and density of fibers. If you’ve got a high traffic area, buying a higher grade, denser carpet will help it stand up to wear and tear over time. If you’re looking for stain-resistance, consider getting carpet made from nylon or other synthetic fibers. Along with a large variety of colors and materials, carpet is also one of the cheaper flooring options available. 

Hardwood Flooring

If you want a beautiful floor with a warm, natural appearance, hardwood is a great choice. Hardwood floors are tough, but can also be sanded or refinished when damage occurs. Hardwood can last for decades when properly maintained. The cost associated with using hardwood can be higher because it requires a subfloor and periodic refinishing. If you choose to go with hardwood, there are a variety of material and stain choices. White oak is a popular material because it is durable and accepts stain well. Popular stain choices are dark, honey, grey, and white-washed. Darker floors are rich and beautiful, but show scratches and pet hair; while lighter floors can brighten up a room, but will show dirt and debris. 

Engineered hardwood is also an option for homeowners. This prefinished product is less expensive than hardwood, and doesn’t require a subfloor. Engineered hardwood can be easily installed and even refinished, but is less durable than hardwood. 

Laminate Flooring

This ultra-tough, multi-layered flooring option is a great choice for smaller budgets. Laminate flooring is cheap, comes ready to install, and can even be installed on pre-existing floors. Modern laminate comes in a variety of finishes; ranging from a lighter stone appearance, to dark, rich wood. Laminate is durable and easy to clean, but can’t be refinished and is susceptible to moisture. Because of its durability and affordability, laminate flooring is a popular choice for families with children and pets.

Tile Flooring

Tile floors have been used for thousands of years because of their versatility and durability. Although manufacturing methods have changed, most modern tiles are still made from ceramic and stone. Because of its versatility, tile can be finished to look like stone or even wood. Tile is incredibly durable, but installation is challenging and cleaning grout lines is not easy. Darker tiles will show less dirt and debris, but lighter tiles will make a room appear brighter. We offer tile installation services that will make sure the job is done right the first time.

Hopefully this is enough to get you started on your next flooring project. We’ve covered the basics here, but there are many more factors to consider when choosing the right flooring for your home. With years of flooring experience, we can help you choose and install the perfect floor for your project. Fill out our job estimate form to get started!