VINYL
Although we would choose carpet for all bedrooms, we would def buck the trend and chose vinyl planks instead if talking about a holiday house, a home that will receive a lot of guests, and a home with young kids and pets. The floors need to look good, but also be super durable, water-resistant and low maintenance.
PROS
Looks like timber.
Durable, scratch-resistant and low maintenance.
Water-resistant (can be used in bathrooms).
Quiet
Gentle underfoot compared to hardwood and tiles.
Easy to replace a small section if it gets damaged.
Not expensive
CONS
Doesn’t feel like real timber.
Not biodegradable.
Won’t add value to your home like engineered timber or solid timber would.
LAMINATE
Laminate flooring simulates the look and feel of timber (or stone), but there’s actually no timber used at all. It’s made from compressed wood composite, cork, melamine and other materials. It looks like timber because of the photographic layer used on its surface, which is protected underneath a clear ‘wear’ layer. Laminate planks are basically a picture of wood, but not real wood.
PROS
Unlike timber, laminate is a super-hero when it comes to resisting dents and scratches.
Can be printed to resemble almost any natural texture or colour.
Looks just like timber, even close up.
Quick and easy to install – you can do a whole house in 2–3 days.
Much cheaper than timber.
Won’t fade, so it’s great in rooms that get hit with lots of direct sunlight.
CONS
It’s fake – for some people, just knowing this is a real turn off.
Looks like timber, but doesn’t feel like it.
Can swell and buckle if water sits on it for any length of time (pot-plants!)
Can’t be rejuvenated through sanding and refinishing like hardwood can.
Louder than carpet or vinyl.
Can be harder underfoot than vinyl and timber.
Depending on the underlay and installation, it can feel springy in spots.
HYBRID FLOORING
Keep your eyes peeled for hybrid flooring. It’s been described as the next generation of high performance flooring combining vinyl and laminate to literally give you the best of both worlds! With the moisture-resistance of vinyl and realistic timber-look of laminate, this flooring is definitely worth checking out.
PROS
Minimal expansion and contraction even with big temperature changes.
100% waterproof
Extremely hard-wearing and able to handle very heavy foot traffic ... and the odd kids’ scooter or bike ;-)
A built-in acoustic underlay improves the sound and comfort underfoot as well as decreases installation costs.
CONS
Hardly any!
Looks like timber, but doesn’t feel like it.
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