Why Hardwood Flooring is better than Laminate
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Posted On :
Feb-18-2010
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Article Word Count :
519
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When it comes to flooring for the house, there are several different options available to homeowners. The most popular choices with homeowners these days are hardwood flooring and laminate flooring.
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When it comes to flooring for the house, there are several different options available to homeowners. The most popular choices with homeowners these days are hardwood flooring and laminate flooring. Both of these floorings are quite different and it is essential for homeowners to explore the key features of these flooring types in order to select the one which is right for them.
Hardwood flooring
Hardwood flooring is available in two main styles, engineered wood and solid wood. The solid wood floors are more traditional in nature. This type of flooring will have to be stapled or nailed in place. With solid wood floor, homeowners have more choices for attractive seam at the doorways. Such type of flooring has to be installed on OSB or on solid plywood.
The engineered wooden flooring is plywood with a thin piece of solid wood which is fixed on the surface. Engineered wood floors offer plenty of choices to homeowners to choose from. This type of flooring can be floating, stapled or glued on. There are several exotic wooden flooring species available in engineered wooden floors.
Laminate
Laminate floors are basically thin particle boards which have a veneered picture of tile or wood. The installation of such type of flooring is floating so the boards would not be fixed to the floor but only to each other. Laminates are inexpensive but they are not real wood and lack the look, feel and warmth of traditional wood.
Why hardwood flooring is better
When it comes to flooring, there is no doubt that hardwood flooring is always better than laminate. Hardwood flooring is available in several different types of wood like ash, walnut, beech, pine, cherry, maple and oak. Some of these species are very solid and hard which means that they are also very long lasting.
In case the surface of hardwood floor gets damaged or scratched, it can be repaired easily. The finishes of hardwood floorings shine more since they are plyurethaned. Laminate is scratch resistant when compared to wood, but the problem with laminate is that if it gets damaged it cannot be repaired. Laminates cannot be sanded down so the only thing that homeowners can do is to pull out the board. However, once the board is pulled out, it will not look natural.
Also, laminate is available in only matte finishes. Laminate cannot be shined since its surface is non porous and even when waxed, it will not shine. Though some of the newer laminates are available in shiny finishes, once they have been worn down they cannot be re-shined.
Homeowners who are looking for inexpensive flooring choices can go for laminates; however, laminates do not look natural and they are definitely as good as wood. Wood is considered to be a long term investment. Once the hardwood floor is installed, it will last for decades. Also, wood has a warmth and a cozy feel to it which cannot be replicated by laminate or any other type of flooring. The traditional feel and the natural variations of wood are unparalleled.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Why Hardwood Flooring is better than Laminate_11264.aspx
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Author Resource :
Liamk Gardner works for Midlands Floors one of the largest flooring suppliers in the Midlands supplying Real Wood Flooring in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. If you want some more information on Bamboo flooring in Birmingham visit their site.
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Keywords :
wood flooring, hardwood flooring,
Category :
Home and Family
:
Home Improvement
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