At the outset, it might look like solid hardwood, if you can afford it, is a superior option than laminate flooring. When laminate was introduced, this was an easy choice to make.
Laminate flooring used to be an inferior wood-like flooring that people bought when they couldn’t afford hardwood. Apart from looking like a cheap version of wood, laminate floors had performance and stability issues.
However, that’s the past. These days, laminate flooring offers superior performance, are highly durable and look so much like engineered hardwood flooring that it’d be hard to differentiate it from the real thing.
With the differences in the two options blurring, laminate floors are no longer an inferior option. The fact is that laminate outperforms solid wood in several aspects. Here’s a comparison.
Cost
Solid hardwood is made of 100% wood. Naturally, it is highly expensive. The more exotic the species, the higher is the cost per square foot. Compared to laminate floors, hardwood is always expensive.
Laminate, on the other hand, is made of thin fibreboard core that features an image of wood and topped by a wear layer for protection. You can purchase good quality laminate floors at a fraction of the cost of hardwood floors.
DIY Installation
Laminate floors are easy to install. So easy that anyone can install them. Most laminate floors feature click-lock technology, which means that the planks/tiles snap together without the use of glue. The result is a fabulous fit and finish without the need for any specialised tools.
Solid wood is not ideal for DIY installation. First, you will need specialised tools like a floor stapler to do the job. Moreover, you will need experience installing hardwood and using the special tools.
Appearance
High quality laminates not only look exactly like hardwood, pattern repetition frequency is low as well. Hardwood floor is great to look at undoubtedly, but the maintenance is high and the cost prohibitive.
Moist Environment
As such, laminate floors can perform decently in semi-moist areas like bathrooms and kitchens. If you are looking for high moisture tolerance, opt for laminates that are specifically made for moist areas.
Solid wood, on the other hand, is not made for moist areas. You could use them in kitchens but with care.
In Conclusion
As you can see from the comparison above, laminate performs neck-to-neck with solid hardwood across every parameter. With laminate floors, you can benefit from all the benefits of solid wood without the prohibitive cost. Looking for spectacular deals on laminate floors? Lifestyle Flooring UK offers the best deals on the widest range of laminate floors. Check our range right away.
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