Laminate or hardwood???
by
Diane
+6
Getting ready to replace all floors in my 1980's house. What are your pros and cons on laminate vs hardwood. I have got to make a decision in about 2 weeks. So confused!
7 answers
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I will choose hardwood, it is made of natural materials and it lasts longer than laminate flooring, but also it costs more to purchase and install. While, laminate lends a beautiful look to virtually any room, but u need to remember to leave a 10mm space around the perimeter of the room as well as around any obstacles in the room such as pillars, heat vents, etc. Anyway, it depends on u. Just choose the one u like.
HellenK
on Aug 29, 2013
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Diane.....I personally do not like laminate floors...HOWEVER.....depending on you sub-floor, you have your choice of many products. 3/4 inch solid hardwood which must be nailed to the sub-floor. Engineered hardwood that can be nailed, stapled, glued or floating. Laminates which are floating floors installed over an under-layment to rid the "plastic sound" of walking on the floor. . Then you also have your choice of bamboo and cork flooring....both of which can be glued or floated. Engineered wood and laminate are generally 3/8 inch in thickness and all products are constructed with a tong and groove locking system. ALL flooring must be installed with a 1/4 inch space around the perimeter of the room from the walls to allow for expansion and contractions. If your sub-floor is of particle board....you CANNOT install solid hardwood as the nails will not hold in the particle board. All wood and natural products that have a factory finish have the top layer finished with a coat of polyurethane containing aluminum oxide which helps preventing scratching and scuffing....BUT are not scratch/scuff proof. Engineered wood can be screened and re-coated to eliminate most of the scratches/scuffs marks.......most engineered products carry a manufacturers wear warranty and structural warranty of 25 to 50 years to lifetime (wear means you will not wear through the top layer of the finished product) and NO warranty as to scratched/scuff marks. Laminates are manufactured with a solid core of a Masonite type material, with a photograph of the finished wood covered with a laminated plastic type top layer which includes aluminum oxide. Although it has a strong coating, it is not scratch/scuff proof. If it does scratch...there is no way of removing or repairing like wood, expect to replace the section. After all this, then you have your choice of looks.....a smooth finish or the latest craze of "hand scrape" and edge finish....flush, beveled, micro beveled, and a multiple of colors and textures/graining. Water is the enemy of all solid surface wood/laminate floors and must be taken care of as soon as possible. Wood floors can handle the water for a much longer period of time......if water sits on a laminate floor for more than 15 minuets.....the flooring is subject to swelling and cannot be repaired. I sell a lot of laminate flooring......but much more wood which I prefer. Labor cost for engineered wood and laminates are the same...approximately $2.50 - $3.00 per square foot plus materials (adhesive or under-layment) Let me know if you have additional questions. Sorry this is so worddy....Gary
LandlightS
on Aug 29, 2013
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I think I am leaning more towards hardwood or engineered hardwood. That's what I thought of to start with until my contractor suggested I think about laminate also. The laminate I have looked at are beautiful but I really want wood. I know I will have to have new subflooring put in but I hope in the long run the hardwoods would be my better choice. I have almost decided to put them in my entire house.
Diane
on Aug 30, 2013
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You are getting ready to spend a lot of money on something you will probably live with for many years so this is a decision that should not be rushed, if you can possibly avoid it. Without much time to do any research or comparisons, I had laminate put in a house we bought 3 1/2 years ago and it is probably the biggest and most expensive mistake I have ever made. I regret it every single day and cannot wait until I am able to replace it. First off, it's very noisy, even with the underlayment stuff that is suppose to reduce noise. When we first moved in, we had 3 German Shepherds (who have all passed now), and their toenails constantly clicking across the floors just about drove me and my husband crazy. At night, we could even hear them on the opposite end of the house, it was that loud. It is also slippery. Wearing shoes with slippery soles, I nearly fell a couple times in the early days. Now I only go barefooted or wear rubber-soled shoes in the house. The dogs also had difficulty walking on it, especially in their final days, because it is so slick. Finally, it will not stand up to any moisture. So many of the seams in my laminate have raised and bubbled from tiny spots of water/liquid that have gone unnoticed. A dropped ice cube that wasn't picked up, a spill that wasn't totally wiped up good, a spot where the cat threw up and I didn't notice right away, drippy hands or wet shoes, etc., are all examples of little things that have made a big impact on my laminate flooring. I will say it looks beautiful, it doesn't scratch and it doesn't show the dirt but beyond that, I don't have one positive thing to say about laminate after living with it. In my opinion, anything would be better than laminate flooring.
Shari
on Aug 30, 2013
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Shari and Sia.....with many thanks for your testimonials...... For your next kitchen floor, you may want to consider LVT (Luxury Vinyl Tile)....It come in planks that are 6" X 48" and has a look of wood (better looking than laminates) or it come in 16" X 16" tiles, with ceramic or stone looks. It can be installed in several methods: perimeter glue, all over glue down or loose lay....the backing will hold itself in place. The tile shape can be installed with glue and have an actual grout line. Easy to care for, tolerates water, doesn't scratch and is warm to the bare foot......not cold like ceramic tile. National brands as Armstrong and Shaw offer 25 year to lifetime wear warrantieS Have a great Labor Day weekend...... Gary
LandlightS
on Aug 31, 2013
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Natural vs fake hands down, go natural!!!
Angelina
on Mar 19, 2015
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I have hardwood and my friend has laminate. MINE IS MUCH better looking! It cost more but you won't regret it.
Sharo
on Mar 22, 2015
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