There are very few flooring products that are as attractive and sought after as hardwood. While there are a number of laminate products with fake hardwood prints, there is really nothing like the real thing. Many people try to sell you on laminate product because of their low maintenance and affordability, but there are still many great reasons to choose real hardwood. This article explains a few different types of hardwood floors, and it shows you the main advantages of choosing hardwood.
Solid Vs. Layered
When shopping for hardwood products, the first thing you need to choose between is solid or layered. A solid hardwood plank will be made out of one piece of wood. Layered planks are constructed out of several thin layers of wood that are glued together. Only the top, visible layer is actually made out of real hardwood. The lower layers are made out of cheaper, lighter composite wood. This keeps down the cost and weight of the product. The layered construction also makes the planks more flexible. This can be a huge factor when it comes to installing over older subfloors that probably aren't perfectly flat.
The main disadvantage to layered products is the fact that, since the top layer is so thin, you might not be able to ever refinish them. When you refinish hardwood, you need to sand off the existing stain, which means removing much of the top layer of wood. If this happens, and you expose the composite wood underneath, your floor will be ruined. However, if you have a solid hardwood floor, you can refinish it several times over the lifetime of your home without ever worry about sanding all the way through.
Laminate Limitations
It is also worth noting that with laminate floors, you never have the option of refinishing them. They cannot be sanded, stained, or refinished because they are not made out of real wood. That is, the color and finish that you install is basically what you are stuck with unless you install a completely new product. This is obviously going to be a much bigger remodel project to worry about.
One of the biggest perks of installing real hardwood, over laminate, is that it adds more value to your home and makes it more desirable. That is, if you are planning on selling your property, being able to claim that you have real hardwood floors will definitely allow you to increase your selling price and attract buyers. For more information, contact companies like J. Forrest Development.