Wood floors are extremely popular if not throughout homes at least in one or two rooms. Should you wish to install wood you have several options, three of which are laminate, hardwood or engineered flooring.
Laminate Floors
Laminates are an imitation of real wood. It mimics the aesthetic of hardwood, without the drawbacks in terms of cost and installation. In fact, laminate floors can be installed in a range of contexts, and are very easy to clean and care for.
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood floors are the real deal. You essentially have two options here, unfinished or pre-finished wood. When wood is installed unfinished it usually needs to be stained or sanded. Prefinished wood is more durable from the get go, and can be used “out of the box” so to speak. People choose real hardwood because of its unbeatable aesthetic.
Engineered Floors
Engineered floors are constructed by sandwiching finished wood and plywood. This lowers the cost of the floor, and has lots of advantages in terms of installation. You could see engineered floors as a medium ground between hardwood and laminates. So they look very similar to hardwood but are very easy to install and care for.
The ideal choice for your floor depends on a range of factors, not least personal taste. In areas where there is a high amount of footfall you might consider an engineered floor, or laminates might be preferred where traditional installation isn’t possible.
