HOME AND GARDENS
Floor Coverings
Its is important to determine what type of flooring will work best for your lifestyle
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electing flooring for the home is a big decision and a huge investment. But choosing the right flooring will raise the living quality and value of your home. It’s important to determine what type of flooring will work best for your lifestyle. If wooden flooring is the way you want to go then there’s a choice of laminate, engineered or hardwood boards, each with their own benefits and varying costs. The choice can be overwhelming, particularly as the quality of wooden flooring has improved over recent years and it can be difficult to identify differences between competing products. One thing to think about is the area where the floor will be fitted and the level of wear it will sustain. Is it in a busy thoroughfare, such as a hallway, or near any moisture or wet areas. Laminate flooring is typically made of high density fibreboard, with a top layer that simulates the appearance of a wooden floor, or indeed tiled or other floor surfaces. Most are available with a glueless interlocking installation system, where the boards are simply clicked into place. This has the benefit that the boards can, if needed, be lifted and re-installed. Laminate is typically the least expensive option and because of this, it’s quickly becoming very popular. It’s also easy to clean. However, laminates generally cannot be sanded down or otherwise refinished, meaning that if the floor is damaged or worn, it will need to 22 - www.inlinemagazine.co.uk
be replaced. Engineered flooring is constructed from a wooden or fibreboard base, with a thin layer of real wood veneer glued to the top. Because it’s a real wood veneer, it means that unlike a laminate the floor will have the appearance and characteristics of real wood. Engineered boards are less likely to be affected by moisture or heat and is a great solution for someone looking for a good looking floor without the high-end price of solid hardwood flooring. Solid hardwood is formed from solid natural wood throughout the entire board. It typically consists of tongue and groove boards which are glued together. Solid boards can be sanded and refinished, which negates the need to refit lightly damaged or
worn flooring. Most hardwood flooring is pre-finished which helps protect the boards from water damage, heavy foot traffic or heavy objects being dropped on it. Hardwood flooring is usually more expensive, but because it’s more durable the investment could be worthwhile. Your choice of flooring is really a matter of weighing up cost versus functionality versus style. Solid oak will cost more, but last a lot longer. Laminate is going to cost you less, but could need to be replaced entirely within 5 or 10 years, depending on how the room where it is installed is used. No matter what you choose though, a new floor will always make a significant difference to the look of any room and wont have an adverse effect on the value of your home.