LUXURY VINYL VS HARDWOOD – PROS AND CONS

So you've always wanted a hardwood flooring -- the low maintenance, durability and timeless beauty of wood has always been a fantasy. Then, you hear about luxury vinyl.

It provides the same look as wood and it is less expensive. Now you are torn. Which one is the better option? We know. We see this a lot. Let us take a look at the pros and cons of both options that will help you make the best choice for you.

FLOORING PURPOSE

First it helps to have a look at the purpose of your hardwood floors. There are several distinct scenarios that may make you lean in 1 direction or the other. Here are some common reasons people Decide to add hardwood floors:

Building your dream house

Remodeling/updating your Current house

Investment real estate for tenants

Refinishing the lower level to create more living space

hoosing flooring for a holiday home

QUALITIES OF HARDWOOD AND LUXURY VINYL

As soon as you understand your goal -- what you're attempting to accomplish with your hardwood flooring, we could break it down to quantifiable qualities to exemplify a few of the differences. This will provide you a wonderful snapshot of the advantages and disadvantages of every kind of flooring.

Luxury Vinyl Plank

PROS

Lower Price

Simpler to put in

Low upkeep

Compounds resistant

Can be used with radiant heat

Recyclable

CONS

Not Waterproof

Cannot be repaired/refinished

Shorter lifespan

No resale worth

Hardwood Flooring

PROS

Longer lifespan

Greater resale value

More appealing look

Could be repaired and refinished

Great insulator

Renewable resource

CONS

More expensive

Harder to put in

Vulnerable to moisture damage

Might be ruined by glowing heat

In the end, let us have a good look at three additional elements which will affect your choice -- installation, appearance, and maintenance.

INSTALLATION

When it comes to installationvinyl floors is faster and simpler to install. While specialist installation will provide you the best results with either type of floors, the quality of the subfloor is more significant with real wood. Hardwood flooring has to be installed on a flat wooden subfloor or cement foundation. Hardwood doesn't forgive an uneven subfloor structure in addition to vinyl. The real timber will bend over time. Vinyl will be more forgiving of an uneven base.

You can install vinyl over concrete, wood or layers of floors, however, vinyl planks or tiles have a peel-and-stick backing which makes it difficult to remove when remodeling.

You must also remember that hardwood flooring will naturally expand and contract with changing humidity levels in the home. You have to provide an expansion gap around the perimeter of the ground to give the planks space to move.

APPEARANCE

Hardwood flooring provides a more natural appearance to your floor than vinyl planks. Hardwood flooring supplies the most beautiful and appealing look with distinctive tones, colours, and wood grains made by nature. The vinyl planks get stained and dyed on the outer layer to mimic several wood species. You may observe a repeating faux pattern in certain boards.

MAINTENANCE

If it comes to maintenance, it is a tie if we're talking day-to-day maintenance. They both need to be cleaned frequently and damp-mopped with recommended cleaners. However, you do have to be careful of moisture with hardwood floors. However, if the flooring get ruined, hardwood can be sanded and repaired to remove scratches, gouges or wear over time. Vinyl can't be repaired.

THE VERDICT

Hardwood flooring and vinyl planks each have their positives and negatives. But the biggest differences come down to price and durability. Both provide an attractive appearance and are relatively equal when it comes to the daily maintenance. We are going to give luxury vinyl the advantage when it comes to ease of installation. So the bottom line questions to ask are:

How much are you prepared to spend?

Just how long do you really want it to last?

If you have a tighter budget and need the appearance of hardwood with no price tag, go with vinyl.

If you'd like resale value down the road, proceed with hardwood.

If you would like to attract a home made buyer, go with hardwood.

If you would like to be able to refinish it in 10-20 decades, proceed with hardwood.

Hardwood is more upscale and more durable, therefore the higher cost. A different way to check at it's: if you'd like value now, select luxury vinyl. If you want value after, proceed with hardwood.

We hope this can help you make the right choice for your situation. At The Commercial Floor Sanding Experts Co.. , we provide both luxury vinyl and hardwood. Stop by our showroom to view them in person. We'll be happy to help you through your choices and help you pick.

Call us at 08000 075 075 To get a free consultation today!