Do Not Choose Laminate or Hardwood Flooring Merely on Installation

 In Blog

Flooring plays a crucial role in determining the look and feel of any space – be it commercial or residential. When it comes to choices- hardwood and laminate are the two popular options. The hardwood is further categorized into solid and engineered hardwood. Indubitably, both floors have an unmatchable appeal but installation of hardwood and laminate floors is one factor that may change your decision. People usually consider factors like costing and installation while making their decision. But it is not the right way to choose the flooring material. It is equally important to weigh other vital factors before. Do you want the other factors necessary to weigh besides installation? So, let’s start and discuss these elements one by one.

Installation

To define simply, laminate floors are easy to install via a number of methods such as floating tongue-and-groove locking, glue-down over wood, etc. These floors are easy to install in a floating way over existing floors. The floors are even easy to glue directly over concrete or wood or one can lay it over a foam pad or cork underlayment. Above all, any person with the basic knowledge can install it himself by watching DIY videos. To add further, laminate floors come with prefinished form, therefore a person needs not spend time on finishing and sanding once the installation task is completed.

On the other hand, hardwood floors’ installation is both trickier and expensive as well. These floors support the tongue-and-groove method, which is both complicated and time-consuming. Therefore, it is advisable never to take the risk of installing these floors themselves. The right knowledge and the right tools are two indispensable materials required for installing these floors correctly. It is impossible to install hardwood over any other existing floors. Hence, you need to remove completely the old floors prior to hardwood installation. Although it is an expensive option than laminate, you can get a variety of styles to give your home a unique look. Vintage Flooring is one of the well-respected brands offering a beautiful collection of both solid and engineered hardwood flooring materials.

Environmental Impact

A few years back, laminate was one flooring material that was not an eco-friendly option. The reason is many studies prove that the laminate produces Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which release gases into the air and cause some health-related issues in the occupants in the long run. Even laminate contains melamine resin, which is also not counted as an eco-friendly material. But things have changed drastically now. Manufacturers understand that the customers look for a sustainable option and therefore, they have been offering LEED-certified laminate flooring material. For instance, Toryls is one brand that offers eco-friendly flooring materials including laminate.

On its counterpart, hardwood is a sustainable flooring option. The reason is hardwood floors feature natural materials i.e. wood and it does not contain any chemicals. Additionally, hardwood is reusable, recyclable and biodegradable also. When it comes to choosing an eco-friendly material, hardwood emerges victorious.

Sound & Comfort

The bitter fact is both flooring choices prove to be a little noisy in certain situations. For instance, if you walk with heeled shoes on laminate and hardwood flooring Toronto even after proper installation, they will produce some disturbing noises. Even walking or running of pets in a house on these flooring materials produces noise. But when it comes to comfort, laminate takes an upper edge. The reason is hardwood has a natural hardness which one can easily experience if he walks barefoot. On its counterpart, laminate has natural softness which is experienced under your feet on walking barefoot.

Resale Value

There is no denying in the fact that hardwood floors are known for their durability and natural beauty. This beauty stays for decades if maintained properly. Due to this specific reason only, hardwood fetches a higher resale value than laminate floors.

To conclude, it is hard to say that hardwood is better than laminate or vica-versa. Thus, you can choose any flooring material as per your lifestyle preferences and budget. In case you are facing any dilemma, seek the help of professional experts like First Class Flooring. The professionals of the company will help you in choosing the right material as per your needs and within your budget. Even they offer professional installation services as well at cost-effective rates. So, grab the opportunity now!

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