Laminate Flooring vs. Real Wood Floors

If you have decided to replace your old carpets with a more modern look then you might be considering getting wooden floors. If this is the case then you are likely facing the decision about whether you should go for solid wood flooring or laminate flooring. Many people who have never had wooden floors in their home before might be confused about the difference. There are pros and cons to both of these choices and you might want to consider these before making up your mind.

The Pros of Laminate Flooring

  • Because laminate flooring is manmade it is highly durable and is given a tough, stain, scratch and dent resistant finish. This means that it is perfect for heavy traffic areas such as halls and living rooms.

  • You do not need any glue or nails to install laminate flooring as many of these products can be clicked into place similar to a jigsaw puzzle. Once this floor has been installed it can be walked on immediately. There is no need to wait for glue to dry etc.

  • Laminate flooring comes in a range of styles and finishes so you should easily find something to suit your existing home decor.

The Cons of Laminate Flooring

  • Although laminate flooring is durable, it is not as long lasting as real wood. And even though it is given a scratch resistant finish, if a plank does get damaged, it is not that easy to replace it. Another problem is that it is not easy to disguise marks and scratches in laminate flooring.

  • Laminate flooring tends to be a lot noisier to walk on than solid wood floors.

The Pros of Solid Wood Flooring

  • Solid wood flooring looks and feels great and it is something that can last a lifetime. Even if solid wood gets damaged or scratched, it can be sanded down and varnished again to be brought back to its original appearance.

  • Solid wood floors will add value to your home whereas laminate flooring will probably not affect the value in any way. Many people love the idea of real wood flooring and they will be prepared to pay for this.

The Cons of Solid Wood Flooring

  • Solid wood flooring is much more expensive to install than laminate flooring. You will find that you need to hire a professional to do this for you as it will either have to be glued down or nailed down and this can be a tricky job.

  • There is an environmental issue when you use real wood floors. Even though trees can be planted to replace those which are cut down, using so much of this natural resource to floor a home is damaging to the environment.