Hardwood flooring choices aren’t only an issue of colour and plank size. Traffic patterns, household creatures, the base underneath the flooring, and also the size of your household has to be considered. Shop smart by drawing home samples before making a commitment, and lay them in strategic places to measure the amount of foot traffic they’ll get, the intensity of the sun striking them and whether the colors coordinate with your decor.
Determine Your Needs
Produce a list of your household traffic patterns, in which you would like to lay the floors and whether it is going over plywood or cement before considering the ideal hardwood finishes for your home. Not all laminated or wood products are versatile enough to cover all of your household needs. High-traffic entryways and infrequently used guest rooms differ in the kinds of hardwood finishes that are acceptable.
Solid Wood
Among the more expensive hardwood floors options is solid wood. Don’t think about this option if high heels, a heavy walker, dogs with scraping nails or intense sunlight are present. The planks dent, fade and scratch smoothly. They are also able to warp in a moist environment. Oak is considered the heartiest of their solid forest and can endure the toughest wear.
Engineered Wood
Engineered timber, which can be installed over cement slabs, frequently has a sound- or damp-proofing picture between the planks and the cement. Engineered wood is really a wood veneer that is embedded above a plywood base. As soon as it’s sturdy, the end dents from high-heel impressions and can scrape. Good for humid climates, the planks don’t warp in wet or moist conditions.
Laminate Flooring
When it first came on the market, laminate floors was an affordable appearance that mimicked hardwoodfloors It has evolved into a highly respected imitation, but it has drawbacks.Laminate is actually a photograph of timber, laminated to fiberboard and sealed with a transparent plastic layer. Resistance to scratching and fading are two of its advantages, but the repetitive patterning and linoleum feel when walking on it are giveaways.