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7 Things to Consider When Deciding Between Hardwood and Laminate

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The time has finally come. You’ve decided to re-do your flooring. Now comes the ultimate decision: hardwood or laminate?

More than ever before, the advantages and disadvantages between hardwood and laminate are becoming blurry. Here is what you need to consider before making your final decision.

What is Laminate Flooring?
You know that laminate (also known as “floating wood tile”) looks like hardwood, but isn’t really—so what is it? Laminate flooring simulates the look of wood, but is actually made up of synthetic materials. Several layers of synthetic flooring are heated and pressed together, including a layer that looks like wood (via a photographic imprint). Voila: you’ve got yourself laminate flooring.

Cost
Laminate will cost you less than hardwood, plain and simple—you can expect to spend roughly 50% less if you opt for laminate over hardwood. Its relatively low cost is one of the major appeals of laminate flooring. If you’re on a budget but still want the wood look, laminate is your best bet.

The price of hardwood can vary greatly, depending on the type of wood you choose. Those who are trying to save but who want to work with hardwood can choose lower-cost softwoods, like pine or spruce.

Ease of Installation
Point: Laminate. Laminate is so easy to install, that most people can do it as a DIY project. Tongue and groove planks make it as simple as clicking different tiles together. Laminate is typically installed over a sub-floor, with a foam or fill layer between the sub-floor and laminate to reduce sound and moisture.

Hardwood, on the other hand, requires a higher level of skill to install. You’ll likely want to get a professional to do the task, which won’t come free.

laminate

Quality and Repair
The overall consensus is that laminate tends to be a little more durable than hardwood. Hardwood is more likely to get a little scratched up than laminate, which isn’t a bad thing if you like a bit more of a lived-in look.

When it comes to repairs, you’re likely to have better luck with hardwood than laminate. The best case scenario for laminate repairs is to simply replace the damaged tile with a new one—of course, fitting the tile and matching it to the rest of the flooring is easier said than done. Hardwood can be sanded and refinished, which is relatively easy to do.

Appearance
Hardwood takes this category by a long-shot. Great-looking laminate exists, but even the best laminate is still only a picture of the real deal. The beauty of real wood is that no two pieces are alike, whereas laminate will have repeating motif.

If you do decide to go with laminate, use a discerning eye: there are many fake-looking options out there.

Safety and Eco-Friendliness
Mention the word “synthetic”, and people start to worry. Many types of laminate are made with a compound called melamine resin, which includes formaldehyde. It’s possible that this could affect indoor air quality. Some manufacturers have reduced this risk by applying a chemical process to reduce and neutralize potential emissions.

Hardwood floors are natural, and manufacturers are held to rigid production standards to keep things as eco-friendly as possible.

Lifespan
Properly maintained hardwood flooring will last longer than laminate. In high-traffic areas, laminate might last as little as five years, though it usually will last 20 or so years in areas of normal use.

Hardwood, on the other hand, can last a lifetime (up to 80 years!). By sanding and refinishing hardwood flooring, you give it a whole new life. Most hardwoods can be sanded and refinished seven or eight times.

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