Yes you read that right!
Laminate flooring is a much better option than hardwood for the majority of the homes in the United States. Although unfavored by homeowners due to quality and authenticity just a few years ago laminate flooring is to date the best most high quality option possible for many homes. Here are 6 very compeling reasons that laminate flooring is the flooring option for you!
Durability
Real wood is a soft material…. drop something it dents, walk around in heels it wears, let a large dog walk around it scratches.
Hardwood is a beautiful material for flooring but requires constant attention and care to ensure that damage doesn’t occur.
Laminate on the other hand is made from pressed wood and is much harder than any real wood. Resulting in superior scratch resistance, dent resistance, and less visible wear and tear.
Modern day laminate is created with longevity in mind, some guaranteed to last 30+ years (that’s a very long time for a product more than half the cost of hardwood).
We doubt this little guy will do any harm to your hardwood however :)
Moisture Resistance
Going hand in hand with durability…. Hardwood has a serious problem!
Natural wood was never meant to be a flooring material, it’s meant to be part of a tree somewhere in a forest in it’s natural curved state.
Now take that wood which on average has a moisture level of 50% when it’s in its natural state and dry it to a moisture level of 4% and install it on a cold cement floor in rainy and wet Oregon.
Wood always wants to return back to its original state and will regain moisture (if conditions are not correct) and even begin to warp back into a rounder shape.
Laminate doesn’t have this issue at all, as it’s made of composite wood with a printed layer on top it is very stable and requires practically no acclimation meaning it can be installed anywhere over anything… Saving you a headache.
Easy Maintenance
Say you do get laminate floors, now how do you maintain them? All that laminate requires is simple cleaning and that’s about it… using an occasional laminate floor cleaner and vacuuming often is the extent of laminate maintenance.
Happen to scratch or damage a board or two? If you opted for click in installation just pop the damaged boards out and reinstall with a couple fresh ones. Good luck having that convenience with solid or even engineered hardwood.
Did we mention that hardwood requires polishing every couple of months in addition to weekly upkeep?
Also, as the stain layer get’s worn out or scratches you will inevitably be forced to refinish your wood floors every 7-10 years (costing an additional $3-$4 per square foot).
Installation
Hardwood…. is difficult to install, very difficult! Requiring at least 72 hours to acclimate before even thinking of beginning installation, as well as tons of dust.
Unless you know what you’re doing don’t even think of touching a hardwood nail or staple gun… you’ll most definitely mess up.
Laminate however is primarily a simple click in installation which can be installed by almost any handy homeowner saving a potentially good chunk of money if you’re on a budget.
The Look
The number one reason that homeowners used to hate laminate flooring was the cheap look… well it’s 2017 and that small caveat has been fixed by the majority of laminate flooring manufacturers.
Today laminate floors look indistinguishable from real wood and in many cases are actually favored by homeowners over natural wood looks. Manufacturers have added the element of texture into the laminates surface so more and more often the knots and wood imperfections that make real wood so desirable have found their way into laminate floor products as well.
Running your hand across a laminate plank will give you the impression of natural wood no doubt about it.
With thousands of different options and colors available, rest assured their is a laminate product that you will love and will fit perfectly in your home.
Price
Now for the most important reason of them all… Money!
A hardwood floor on average costs the average homeowner $8-$10 per square foot including material and installation.
A high quality laminate floor on the other hand costs on average $4-$5 per square foot (and we’re talking about the nicest material out there).
If you are planning on installing yourself and choose a mid grade material that is still guaranteed to last 30+ years you will spend no more than $2.50 per square foot.
It all comes down to simple math… Laminate floors are financially a better option for the majority of homeowners.
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