There are many hard flooring options available and which one should you go for?
Hard flooring is a trending and good option these days. Hard flooring looks amazing! It is easier to clean and maintain as compared to other types of floorings. Furthermore, this type of flooring is best suited for people who suffer from any sort of allergies since it does not release such harmful compounds to the atmosphere and the interior of your home. There are multiple options available in the market, both in the hard and soft flooring options. Even within the hard flooring options, there is so much variety and so many different ideas that it becomes very difficult to select the flooring which is best suited for your lifestyle, family, home and needs. You need to carefully consider everything before selecting the material for the flooring in your home because it takes a lot of visible space in the home and it directly affects any type of interior design or decoration of your home. If you decide on the design, texture and color of your flooring, then you will be able to narrow down your hard flooring options. In addition to that, after narrowing down your choices, you can then refer to the material properties and decide whether or not to select a material depending upon those properties. For instance, if you are thinking about using that particular hard flooring in your kitchen, then you will look for properties to withstand high traffic and wear and tear. If it is being selected for the bathroom, then it must be resistant to temperature extremes, wear and tear and most importantly, slip and moisture content.
Read the complete article to learn which hard flooring is the best for you!
THE OPTIONS
Real wood
A wooden floor looks fantastic whatever the setting and works well with both contemporary and classic interiors. Wood floors are valued for their warmth, bringing a richness and depth to a room. And while they’re expensive to buy new, they can add value to your house should you wish to sell.
European oak from approved sources is hardwearing and extremely durable and the most stable but choose your timber to suit your colour scheme, remembering that dark or light flooring can affect how the colour of your walls appear. The lighter colours will show wear and tear more easily, but this will also give your flooring character, which is part of the beauty of real wood.
Boards are made up of a single piece of wood, usually between 18-20mm thick and all types of wood have a hardness score, so if you’re planning to buy real wood for a heavy traffic area, like a hallway, look for one with a high score to avoid wear and damage. Avoid fitting real wood in a kitchen. Wood can swell in damp conditions – equally it can shrink in dry conditions.
The beauty of a wood floor, though, is that you can restore them by sanding them back to a decent condition. If you are planning to sand old boards, give them a thorough scrub with a strong detergent and hot water first. If the wood has been covered by a carpet or rug, rubbing it down with sandpaper or paint remover, may be all that is needed. If they have a surface coating or are damaged, you’ll need to hire an industrial sander to do the job properly.
Floors are typically fitted using tongue-and-groove and can be tricky to fit. You’ll also find a natural variation of colour in a batch of boards, so mix them up before laying for the most attractive results. You should be able to lay the flooring over any sub-floor, but make sure the surface is sound, dry and flat.
Laminate
Generally cheaper than real wood and engineered wood, laminate flooring is constructed by fusing multi-layered material together, with an inner-core made from HDF and a high-resolution image of the surface – wood, stone, or other material – and a protective overlay covering on top.
Flooring snobs used to be a bit sniffy about laminates, when style was sacrificed for affordability, but now there’s a huge range of laminates to choose from and you tend to get what you pay for here. Some laminate flooring is still incredibly cheap, but the cheap options rarely resemble wood and aren’t particularly hardwearing. At the other end of the spectrum, there are now fantastically sophisticated laminate floors available in a host of different effects – from wood, to stone and tiles – that are so close to the original in look and texture that it is hard to tell them apart.
Click-and-lock laminate planks are the easiest fitting system to install. Some laminates include a waterproof core, but be cautious about laying them in a bathroom or kitchen. Joints can wear over time, making them susceptible to letting in moisture, and this can make the boards swell. Check with your supplier to see if you need underlay for the surface you are planning to cover.
A quality laminate floor is highly durable and easy to keep clean. It’s a good choice if you live in a busy household with children and pets doing their worst. If you don’t want to spend precious time maintaining the appearance of your floor, laminate is a good choice.
Vinyl
Vinyl flooring is known for its durability and is easy to keep clean and maintain. Made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride), this is a versatile product with a vinyl core over a packing of felt or fibreglass, then with a final wear layer on top. Vinyl floors are available in sheet form or as tiles.
Forget about the old-fashioned vinyl sheeting from a few years back. You can now choose from a range of looks from stone, to ceramic, wood and slate. Its practicality and water resistance make it a popular choice, especially for kitchens and bathrooms. If you suffer from allergies, vinyl is resistant to dust mites and allergens, making it a good option, particularly if you have pets.
The thicker the vinyl, the more durable it will be. Premium products are available at about 155mm, rather than 80mm at the budget end. Whatever the price bracket, designs are increasingly sophisticated and most vinyl is cushioned and comfortable under foot.
Make sure your subfloor is properly prepared before fitting. You may need to have it levelled off to avoid undulation in the vinyl.
Quality branded vinyl tiles are expensive, but they are a worthwhile investment if they come with a long guarantee. The squares and strips can be combined to make up pretty much any design, and a flooring specialist will be able to advise on how to create a bespoke, unique floor.
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