DECISIONS, DECISIONS: WOOD OR LAMINATE?
Online flooring store, Direct Wood Flooring, outlines the pros and cons of both wood and laminate to help you decide between the two.
Choosing between wood and laminate flooring doesn’t just come down to the appearance. Room suitability, environmental factors and budget should also play an important part in establishing the best choice for you.
AESTHETICS The authentic beauty of real wood, with its natural grain, subtle tones and exquisite detail, is what makes hardwood floors so irresistible. Laying a wood floor will instantly add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any room whatever its design and can make a real style statement. However, the longevity and beauty of a wood floor, its ability to be re-finished and the fact that it can add considerable value to a building comes at a cost. Wood flooring is a long-term investment and is significantly more expensive to buy and lay than laminate.
With developments in the manufacturing process of laminate, it is becoming increasingly realistic and is often indistinguishable in looks from real wood. Although laminate flooring is sold at a fraction of the price of a wood floor, the visual appearance cannot compete; especially the cheaper laminates which can have an artificial textured look.
WEAR AND TEAR Although it is hardwearing, wood flooring is more prone to scratching and highly-reactive to excess moisture than laminate with its scratch- and water- resistant top layer. If you choose a wood floor, ensure you put scratch prevention measures in place, such as doormats in the hallway, foam pads on the bottom of furniture and sweep regularly to avoid sharp stones and sand being dragged across the floor.
When your wood floor starts to show wear and tear, you can always sand and re-finish it – this is normally done around every ten years of use,
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depending on the wear and tear it receives. Depending on the thickness of wood, this means your wood floor can last a lifetime. If you choose a laminate floor, although it is highly durable in nature and will take time to wear, once the flooring starts to show wear and tear it is very difficult to be fixed and therefore has a much shorter shelf life than wood flooring.
caution but, as long as any spillages are cleaned up quickly, the risk of a problem is vastly reduced. Although laminate has water-protective layers, like wood, due to the environment it is advised not to use it in a bathroom. Some laminates are designed to be laid in a bathroom but remember to check the packaging before you purchase. For a basement, conservatory or any room made with more glass than walls, due to the extreme heat fluctuations avoid buying solid wood, opt for engineered which is considerably more stable than solid wood or laminate flooring. A laminate floor would be the best choice for a wood look in a busy restaurant or hotel kitchen; it is easier to maintain, much more durable and less reactive to the high temperatures in a busy kitchen. For other rooms, e.g. an office, bar, foyer, bedroom or shop area, the choice is yours.
CARE AND
MAINTENANCE Regular care must be given to a wood floor and a wet or steam mop must be evaded – instead a dry or slightly damp mop should be used with specialist wood cleaning products. Any dampness should be dried immediately. Laminate flooring requires little maintenance; you can simply glide a wet mop over its surface without causing any damage.
CONDITIONS With its moisture-reactive nature, wood flooring is only suitable for humidity stable environments. Wood flooring should be avoided in bathrooms with showers or baths. Showers cause a highly humid and wet environment which could cause wood flooring to warp and lift. For regular toilets, wood flooring should be approached with
When it comes down to it, nothing beats the timeless grandeur of a wood floor, but you need to figure out your biggest flooring priority. Are you looking to add warmth and character to your restaurant or office space? Is laminate more in your price range? Will your flooring experience extremely high traffic? Would you be just as happy with laminate as you would be with wood?
The choice is yours, just make an educated one!
www.directwoodflooring.co.uk www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
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