Choosing the perfect flooring for your home improvement project isn't always easy. You want something that fits your home's style and makes a statement, but you also want a product that's durable and will stand the test of time. Add on the cost factor on top of décor and durability issues, and it's easy to understand why so many consumers are confused by the seemingly endless number of flooring options available.
If you've narrowed down your flooring picks to a wood (or wood-look) floor, but price is a concern, consider the benefits that laminates bring. Long gone are the days when laminates were so-so imitations of the real thing. Today's laminate flooring looks almost indistinguishable from the natural version, wears well, and will dramatically decrease your home improvement budget.
Why choose a laminate flooring product? Before choosing your next new floor, take a look at why laminates are growing in popularity.
The cost of natural hardwood flooring is often prohibitive for many homeowners who are looking to redecorate or renovate. Unless you've saved specifically for them, real hardwood floors can take a bite out of your home improvement budget. This leaves very little left over for other renovation areas (such as plaster, paint, lighting fixtures, appliances, or furniture).
Laminate gives the look and feel of real wood, without the hefty price tag. The considerably lower cost makes it easier for homeowners to afford, leaving room in a renovation project for other expenses. Depending on the product you choose to purchase, it's possible to save almost half the cost by choosing laminate over real hardwood flooring.
The majority of laminate floors utilize a four-layer construction. This gives the floor a bottom backing (or stabilizing) layer, a high-density fiberboard core layer, an image layer (this is the faux wood look you'll see) and a protective top wear layer.
The multi-layer make-up of the flooring combined with the top wear coating makes laminate products highly durable. While laminates can still scratch or stain, they can stand up to high traffic, wear from pets and other daily issues that can ruin a more delicate type of flooring.
Along with its ability to resist scratches (from normal daily use) and stains, laminates are also highly moisture-resistant. This makes pet accidents, kitchen spills, or wet footprints easy to clean. It also means that messy moisture issues won't destroy your floors.
The high durability of laminates gives them a long lifespan. This means you won't have to replace your floors a few years down the road, saving you money, time, and home improvement headaches.
If the word laminate makes you think of fake flooring, take a look at the new world of products that are available. Technological advances in the flooring field have led to realistic-looking products that are hard to tell from the real thing.
The laminate surface is a digitally enhanced image that looks like almost any type of wood. That means you can get a laminate in a cherry finish, bamboo, cedar, or another one of your favorite natural wood picks. Keep in mind; your décor choices don't just revolve around the type of wood you want. They also can reflect the 'style' you're going for.
Some laminates mimic the look of distressed or rustic types of wooden floors. Choosing a style along with the type of flooring allows you to match the rest of the room, creating a contemporary, shabby chic, rustic, industrial, or traditional feel.
Deforestation is a major environmental enemy. Tearing down entire areas of trees disrupts the surrounding natural area, taking away animals' homes and destroying other plant-life. While many hardwood floors come from responsibly sourced trees/forest areas, not every natural product does.
Laminates are often made from recycled materials — and are recyclable themselves. This makes them a sustainable product that has a lower impact on the environment.
