Hardwood flooring options today...increasing the value of homes
My favorite surface in a home is Hardwood floors and always has been. I prefer almost anything to carpet.
( I have kids AND pets AND a garden!) This article was shared with us and I like how it explains the differences between several types of flooring.
While I always prefer hardwood, there are places where hard wood will not increase the value of your home there are others where it will, if you want to know what your home is worth in today's market and what you should or should not put money into for your home we would love to help if you are in the Greater Tacoma Area.
If you are not in the Greater Tacoma area, we would love to help you find a great Realtor in your area. --Anna Matsunaga, Team Momentum, Keller Williams Tacoma 253 212 1252
There are so many options with hardwood flooring today. Laminate, real solid, engineered???
In the past, a real hardwood floor was the only option you had. Today, with laminates and engineered flooring, an "old time" work of art is taken for granted at best.
There is no "real" beauty to any of the so called "hardwood" flooring today. Many people believe they are getting a true hardwood floor, but they are not.
Let's face it, a laminate looks fake and the floor above looks real. Which would you prefer, a hollow sounding piece of fiberboard or a real piece of solid hardwood?
Let's look at the definition of laminate flooring:
www.yourdictionary.com/laminate
laminate definition, words related to laminate, proper usage and ... flooring: Some laminate flooring, for example, does not cope too well with leaks.
- to form or press into a thin sheet or layer
- to separate into laminae
- to cover with or bond to one or more thin layers, as of clear plastic
- to make by building up in layers
I can't help but notice the word "realistic" in every description of a laminate floor. Don't get me wrong. We do install laminate flooring, but there is no comparison to a real hardwood floor. We would like customers to know the difference before they make their purchase. You can't blame our bitterness.
We have been working with real hardwood for 30 years and now we can break it over our knee!!
Here's a comment from About.com on laminates:
Buyers Know It’s Not Hardwood
Although laminate floors will increase a home’s value compared to wall-to-wall carpeting, hardwood floors will increase it even more. Buyers generally can tell the difference between laminate and hardwood or stone, and they prefer natural materials.
Noise
Laminate flooring does not absorb sound well and can have a hollow sound when you walk on it, particularly in high heels. Using an acoustic underlay will help reduce the noise, but it still may be a nuisance. Laminate also lacks the visual warmth of other materials, including hardwood.
The cost is almost the same as well. We are talking apples and oranges in hardwood. The beauty and craftsmanship of a real hardwood floor just can't be compared to a laminate.
You know the old saying, "You get what you pay for." If you want cheap, than you are definitely getting cheap!! Oh, and the echo you hear when you walk is totally free!!!
We will continue to install it for as long as our customers request it. Just keep an open mind before your purchase. Weigh your options with hardwood. Don't rule out hardwood's historic part of our past.
Universal Flooring, LLC
407-914-4770
"Fashion in Flooring"
http://www.universalfloor.net
Serving Central Florida.
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