Laminate flooring has come a long way since the early days when there was basically a choice of ‘cherry’, ‘beech’ or ‘maple’ planks. There’s a huge range of options and advantages to installing laminate, positioning this flooring as a very viable (some might say superior) alternative to solid wood. So here are four reasons to choose laminate flooring:
Appearance
Yes, a solid wood floor can look beautiful, but laminate flooring has got so good in the looks department that you can’t disregard it. Some laminate floors are so realistic you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference without having to look REALLY closely. With photo realistic wood grain markings – and in many cases texture that perfectly replicates that of real wood – there’s a multitude of possibilities when it comes to colour, pattern and finish. Whether you love a knotty and weathered rustic wood effect, or perfectly smooth, planed planks. How about this amazing Industrial look for something really original and unexpected:
Ease of Installation
Whether you feel confident about fitting a laminate floor yourself or prefer to hire a tradesperson, it is a relatively simple and straightforward task. Most fitters will be able to do an average sized room in a day. The beauty is you can work out exactly how many packs of flooring you need in advance, which minimises wastage. The fact that most modern laminates click into place is a great advantage over wood flooring, which isn’t quite as uniform and easy to lay. There are no visible gaps between the planks, too, unlike a wood floor, so the finish is very neat.
Low Maintenance
One of the real beauties of a laminate floor is how easy it is to look after. It is exceptionally hard wearing and will withstand most things thrown at it, from extreme temperature changes, scuffs and scratches, unlike solid wood which can show up all the dents and dings. The main thing with laminate is not to allow it to get soaking wet. All it takes is the sweep of a brush and a damp mop occasionally to keep it looking perfect. This is why laminate is a good option for families and pet owners. Wood on the other hand needs more cleaning and maintenance. Food, dirt and debris can get ingrained in a wood floor and the surface may well need sanding and refinishing every couple of years; there’s none of that maintenance with a laminate one. Yes a solid wood floor can last for many many years, but most laminates have a good lifespan of 10 to 20 years, by which time you will probably fancy a change anyway!
Cost effective
A laminate floor can be as budget friendly as you like. There really is a range for every pocket. In the kids bedroom, say, you may want something that looks nice but doesn’t need to be top of the range, making it very affordable. In a living room you may want a really tough, good looking laminate and be prepared to pay a bit more, but even so compared to solid wood flooring you will most likely find a laminate floor gives better value for money.
Featured post
© Copyright 2019 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife
Leave a Reply