Hardwood Vs Laminate Flooring: Important Things All Homeowners Must Know
When working on the interior of your home, there is much concentration on the décor to make sure that it is visually appealing. Particularly, the floor has a significant role to play in the ambiance, feel and look achieved in all the rooms. Wood is a very good material for flooring. Its natural appearance and warm underfoot goes a long way in enhancing beauty and comfort in your home. Just like many other flooring materials, there are many wood flooring alternatives that you can choose from. Here is a look at hardwood and laminate wood flooring to help you make an informed choice:
The Cost of the Flooring
The cost of using laminate and hardwood flooring varies greatly. Hardwood floors will cost more because the flooring is made using harvested wood, which can be considerably costlier especially in areas where it is hard to find hardwood tree species. On the other hand, laminate flooring is composed of composite wood fabricated under immense pressure and high temperature. After that, laminate is laid over the wood for a neat finish, resembling that of natural wood. The composite wood used in laminate flooring is an inexpensive option compared to exotic hardwood.
The Appearance of the Flooring
The difference in the appearance of natural hardwood and fabricated composite wood is quite evident. Real hardwood has a great variation in its grain, which is why different planks of hardwood cannot appear precisely alike. On the other hand, laminate flooring comes with a repetition of patterns. Even though variations are possible, some patterns are similar and enable you to easily differentiate between hardwood and laminate flooring. For areas where you want to emphasise aesthetic appeal such as living rooms, go for hardwood flooring.
The Durability of the Flooring
Pedestrian traffic has a big effect on the durability of the flooring material that you choose. Areas that are bound to have a lot of foot traffic should be able to stand up to the task so that you won't have to deal with regular maintenance costs. Preferably, you should go for laminate flooring in such areas. Its outer layer is made by bonding aluminium oxide and melamine resins under high temperature and pressure. The result is a harder surface that stands up well against friction, unlike hardwood flooring covered with ordinary wood coatings.
With this in mind, you can choose the right flooring for each type of space in your house to meet both aesthetic and performance needs. This can also help you save lots of money. For more information, contact a custom joinery service.
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