Today’s floor covering market is full of laminate flooring that attempts to imitate the look of wood, ceramic, cork, and other common floor coverings. Many homeowners wonder if laminate is a sensible shortcut to beautiful floors, or if it’s worth it to pay a bit extra and spring for the real deal. We’re here with our pro insights to help you make the comparison and draw a conclusion.
If you are entering the floor installation process of your home build or remodel, it is natural to feel a bit wishy washy when coming to a definitive decision on which kind of floor to install.
With all the options on today’s market, the amount of choices can be dizzying. You want to pick something you’re going to love not just now, but years from now! It’s a lot of pressure.
Yes, choosing your flooring is a big decision, but it doesn’t have to put your brain in knots. The Hoffman brothers at Denver Dustless are here to help you narrow down what will work best for your particular lifestyle. We have a full breakdown of the benefits of both laminate and hardwood flooring along with the key questions to ponder before choosing.
Laminate Flooring Benefits
For many homeowners, laminate flooring has proven to be a sensible intersection of style, budget-friendliness and durability. It is certainly an option worthy of consideration for you house build or remodel.
Style Options for Laminate
One of the many virtues of laminate flooring is that whatever ‘look’ you are going for, there should be a laminate flooring option to match your desired style. Modern laminate flooring manufacturers are very skilled at mimicking different looks, like wood, tile or even stone.
The Denver Dustless Showroom features hundreds of laminate flooring samples. We can help find the exact laminate you are looking for to fit the aesthetic of your dream home.
Laminate Flooring Origins and Cost Effectiveness
Laminate material has been used for a long time now, originating back in the 1920’s. It has been used for countertops as well and its versatility is highly recognized in the construction world.
In comparison with hardwood flooring, laminate flooring is quite cost effective, sometimes proving to be half the price of hardwood.
Durability and Practicality of Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring’s ability to withstand wear from daily house activities and exposure to sun and water makes it incredibly desirable for active families. If you have cats and dogs with claws that scrape on the floor or who are accident prone, laminate flooring is known to durably withstand such stressors.
Laminate can also stand up to rough-housing kids scooting toys across the floor or whatever activities ‘play time’ may lead to. Laminate has a ‘scuff resistant’ reputation. You can literally take a key to laminate and scratch it as hard as you want, and it will barely leave a mark, if any. That equates to no marks from furniture sliding across the floor. Even after years, laminate flooring will continue to look as good as the day you had it installed.
Laminate is a smart choice to install in locations with high moisture levels, such as kitchens and bathrooms, since it won’t swell or warp. They are easy to clean (simply mop with water, no special cleaners necessary) and maintain and are less susceptible to fading in sunlight, since they offer sufficient UV protection.
Many linoleum floors are made up of recycled materials, which is a great environmental bonus. Green America reports that “natural linoleum floors are also hypo-allergenic and biodegradable”.
The low-hassle and speedy installation process of laminate flooring makes life simpler too. This can help you cut back on stress that much more during your build or remodel.
But the question is:
Is laminate flooring it for you?
Take this quick analysis to see if laminate is the right choice for you and your family:
- Do you have children or pets? Or both?
- Do you have large windows with a lot of sun exposure in your house?
- Is your budget on the ‘tight’ side?
- Do you want a floor that’s easy to clean?
- Are you looking for a style beyond the classic ‘wood’ look?
- Are you installing flooring in an area susceptible to spills or high moisture levels (bathroom, kitchen, etc.)?
- Do you like to rearrange your furniture frequently?
If you answered ‘yes’ to some or all of these questions, it’s safe to say that laminate flooring may be right up your alley.
Benefits of Hardwood Flooring
Wood floors have a long history and have been a widespread ‘favorite’ flooring choice among homeowners for centuries. Nothing makes a statement in your home quite like a stunning hardwood floor, plus they are eco-friendly and add resale value to your home.
Wood Flooring is Classically Beautiful
Installing wood flooring is always sure to give you a classic, natural feel in your home. With the amount of hardwood options available, and the variation that can be added through different colors of stains and finishes, you are sure to be able to achieve exactly the look you are going for in your home.
Hardwood floors can be refinished multiple times, returning it to its original glory. If you decide you want to adjust the style of your hardwood down the road, you can always choose another stain and finish.
The Denver Dustless Showroom features every type of hardwood imaginable. Schedule an appointment to come down and check out all our Showroom has to offer!
Eco-Friendly and Durable Wood Floors
With countless varieties to choose from, no matter which you prefer, you know what you are putting into your home is pure and organic. In fact, since wood is completely bio-degradable, it is recognized as one of the most environmentally ‘green’ flooring options.
Purists and nature lovers alike genuinely appreciate a sustainable floor, which in actuality contributes to your overall health and well –being in the home. When compared to synthetic flooring choices such as carpeting, hardwood definitely has the upper hand.
A well-maintained hardwood floor can last for decades, or even a century. Your hardwood floor can potentially exist for generations to come.
This is neat:
Green America also reports that “Bamboo, a popular green flooring option…lasts longer and can withstand more use than conventional hardwood floors. The floors are naturally resistant to water, mildew, and insects, and they are sustainable since bamboo grows quickly and abundantly.”
Granted, hardwood tends to be more sensitive to wear and tear. For example, when compared to laminate flooring, sun exposure on hardwood has potential to have long term aging on the floor, but some may actually prefer this aged look, saying it ‘adds character’.
Wood Floors Add Value to Your Home
Hardwood flooring requires fine craftsmanship, and increases the value of your home. A USA Today study reports that an estimated 54% of potential homebuyers would be willing to pay more for a home that had hardwood floors as opposed to another kind of flooring.
The initial cost of installing hardwood is generally greater than the cost of laminate flooring. However, the overall value of hardwood makes it an investment worthy of consideration.
Now comes the question:
Is hardwood flooring for you?
Here’s a quick quiz to help you decide:
- Are you going for a classic, natural, timeless look?
- Do you want a floor that will last for decades?
- Is sustainable, ‘green’ flooring high on your priority list?
- Do you want to invest to increase the resale value of your home?
- Do you want the ‘real deal’ hardwood flooring as opposed to imitation flooring?
If the majority of your answers are ‘yes’, then a hardwood floor may be the best fit for you!
Install a Denver Dustless Floor
Known as the best in the flooring business, Denver Dustless offers innumerable hardwood flooring and laminate flooring options.
Whether laminate flooring is for you, or hardwood is, the good news is that here at Denver Dustless we have everything you need to get started ASAP on either kind. We have all the expertise backed by decades of experience that it takes to answer all your questions and get the job done right.
Make an appointment to stop by our Showroom any time to see the variety of our selection and talk with one of our flooring professionals. You will love your new floor!
