Hardwood Flooring: Three Hard Choices
Hardwood Flooring vs: Laminate Flooring vs: Engineered Wood Flooring
There are three basic types of wood flooring—solid hardwood,
engineered hardwood and plastic laminate (acrylic). Each floor certainly
has its pros and cons with people making choices based on price, location
of installation, method of installation, and personal preference.
When you begin looking for the right floor for a specific room or your
entire home you may be surprised by the wide array of choices. First,
there are numerous brands of hardwood and laminate flooring and then
various styles offered under each brand. This article is focused on making
your selection a bit easier by considering the advantages and disadvantages
of solid hardwood, engineered hardwood and plastic laminate.
Solid Hardwood
Many people prefer the quality and long-life of solid hardwood flooring.
About 90-percent of realtors state that hardwood floors make a house
more marketable. The result—homes with hardwood floor coverings
sell faster and at a higher price than those that have other types of
flooring. Commonly, solid hardwood comes in widths of ¾-inch with
a 5/16-inch top layer. Here are some hard facts about solid hardwood
floors.
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Advantages:
- Durability—hardwood can last 100 years or more.
- 3/4 inch solid hardwood, with its tongue and groove structure,
increases your flooring system’s structural strength.
- Its thickness allows you to adjust to small disparities in your
sub floor more easily than with thinner engineered wood or laminates.
- The 5/16 inch top layer can be sanded and refinished up to seven
times. If a floor is damaged, this is a much cheaper choice than
you would have with laminate, which cannot be sanded and must be
replaced.
- Usually less expensive than high-end engineered wood.
- Often comes in longer lengths than engineered flooring.
- Resists spills well.
- Hardwood has a non-patterned look unlike laminate.
- There is a certain richness to the appearance and feel of hardwood.
- A moderate price range (from ($4.00-$7.25/square-foot)—higher
than most laminates and lower than most engineered hardwood products.
- Unlike carpeting hardwood is non-allergenic.
- Hardwood is the only floor covering that increases the value
of your home.
Disadvantages :
- Solid hardwood is moisture sensitive and not recommended for
basements or high moisture areas.
- Of the three, this is the most difficult for a DIY to install.
You will probably need to hire a professional and that increases
the cost by about $3.00/square-foot.
- Installation is time consuming.
- Less resistant than laminates to foot traffic and damage.
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Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood flooring is composed of numerous layers of thin
plywood that are glued together. The core, which incorporates a tongue
and groove system, uses either soft plywood and/or hardwood. A thick
hardwood veneer is glued to the plywood core’s top surface.
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Advantages :
- A solid lifespan of 30-100 years.
- Holds up better in humid areas than solid hardwood.
- Its layered construction makes it more dimensionally stable than
solid wood.
- Installation can occur on wood sub floors or dry concrete.
- Engineered hardwood is installed using a staple gun, making it much
easier and faster to install than hardwood.
- These floors come in a wide range of styles, colors, and sizes.
- It is non-allergenic.
- Like solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood increases the
value of your home and makes it easier to sell.
Disadvantages :
- Engineered hardwood flooring is the most expensive floor covering
with prices starting around $5/square-foot and going to $9/square-foot.
However, it is a relatively easy DIY job, which means the higher price
can be offset by the money you save from not having to hire a professional.
- It is less wear resistant and damage proof than laminate.
- If damaged only some types of engineered hardwood floors can be
sanded and refinished.
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Plastic Laminate (Acrylic)
Plastic laminate flooring has a fiberboard core, which
underpins a photograph of wood. The photo is covered and sealed by an
extremely tough plastic coating. It’s installed over a foam layer
and may be held in place with glue or by its own weight.
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Advantages :
- Plastic laminate holds up extremely well to ultraviolet rays, spills,
and foot traffic. This is considered to be a good surface for busy
rooms.
- Of the three, it is the least expensive floor covering with prices
starting at $3.00/square-foot and going to about $4.50/square-foot.
- Laminate is the easiest of the three to install.
- These floors are simple to clean and maintain. Virtually care free.
- Many come with a triple warranty against staining, fading, and wear.
Some also are warranted against moisture.
- It is non-allergenic.
Disadvantages :
- If damaged it cannot be sanded or refinished. Plastic laminate must
be replaced.
- Commonly it lasts from 15 to 30 years, which is much less than hardwood.
- It does not add value to your home like hardwood coverings.
- Although less expensive than hardwood and easy to install, there
are cost added factors such as the price of the foam sub-layer.
- Water working its way under the flooring, such as along the outer
edges, will cause buckling. Laminate is not recommended for bathrooms
or laundry rooms.
- It can be installed in basements but not without certain modifications
that can increase the price of your floor and add time to the job.
- A patterned look is created, which some people find unattractive
and unappealing.
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Choosing wood flooring can be bewildering. A few factors that will
influence your selection include installation preference, price per square-foot,
look, lifespan and the areas you’re going to cover. Engineered
hardwood is the best choice for dry concrete, while a laminate may be
the way to go if you’re on a budget and covering a high traffic
area. Solid hardwood affords a traditional look and feel but is the most
difficult to install.
Whether you choose solid hardwood, engineered hardwood or plastic laminate
a new wood floor will change the aura and appearance of any room. |
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