Why is Real Wood Flooring so much better than Laminate?
Let’s face it – laminate flooring is cheap, easy to lay and readily available from most DIY and hardware stores. But is the, often small, financial saving really worth the many long term drawbacks of laminate flooring? In this article we look at the negatives of laminate flooring and explain why choosing a quality engineered or solid wood flooring is a much better investment for achieving the best long term benefits in your home.
Cracks and dents:
Laminate flooring is notorious for cracking and denting in certain situations. As soon as a heavy object is dropped or a large amount pressure is applied to a poor quality laminate floor board, damage can and does occur. The materials used to make laminate are much more weak and brittle than real wood and therefore have a much shorter life expectancy – real wood can last a lifetime. The hardwoods that are used to make up a solid or high spec engineered wooden floor are much stronger materials, meaning that they will always be more resistant to damage from weight and pressure than laminate.
Appearance:
The surface layer of laminate flooring is simply a layer of resin coated paper that is printed with an image of natural wood. Although high quality printing is available for a close effect, the textures and natural features of real wood can never be truly re-created with a print. The knots and grains of real wood boards give them a timeless charm that add warmth and elegance to a room, which in our opinion, can never be created with laminate.
Strength and how it feels under foot:
Remember, when it comes to flooring, cutting back on price will mean that you are cutting back on the strength, appearance, life expectance and feel of your flooring. Laminate is often much thinner and more ‘lightweight’ than quality engineered boards and therefore their strength is compromised and can feel weak underfoot. Very often with a laminate floor you will experience squeaking, creaking and clicking underfoot. This results in a far less solid feel under foot. The sturdy structure of real wood flooring means that it will remain in your home for years without losing strength, character, beauty or that ‘real wooden’ feel.
Refinishing:
Unlike real wood flooring, laminate doesn’t lend itself to being refinished or repaired easily. The top layer (the ‘wear layer’) of engineered wood flooring is 100% real wood which means that it can be sanded back for refinishing and repair. Depending on what depth of wear layer you choose, engineered wood flooring can be sanded multiple times. The surface of laminate flooring is usually a layer of pattered paper covered with resin and cannot be sanded.
A quality engineered wooden floor will have a wear layer of at least 3-4mm.
Long term investment
Owing to the fact that it has such a long life expectancy, homes with real wood flooring often have a higher market value than homes fitted with an alternative flooring. Further to it lasting so long, real wood flooring is favoured by prospective buyers as its natural charm looks great with so many different types of décor. Some buyers may even be put off by the cheaper feel of a laminate floor whereas a charming traditional wood floorboard may be enough to win them over!
