Laminate or Hardwood

[jumpingjackflash]

So me and the GF are in a battle. We are thinking of removing the broadloom upstairs and we are arguing over laminate or hardwood flooring.

The main floor is natural hardwood. I want to put natural good quality laminate upstairs. In my opinion it's cheaper, durable and does the job.

My GF wants to sand and stain the main floor to a dark shade, match the staircase and put dark matching hardwood upstairs. This substantially raises the cost and I'm not sure if it adds any value because if things go well we will probably be selling the home in 2 years.

This battle has been going on for weeks, actually who knows if right now we last 2 years.:biggrin2:

 

[Dan]

My condo has laminate and I hate it. I buckles in a few places and is a disaster if water gets on it.

Tboy probably can advise you best on the pro's and con's of laminate vs hardwood..

 

[Macho Man]

May lead to divorce. Avoid at all cost.

 

[Art Mann]

Cheap laminate will look cheap. It feels cheap underfoot. It reeks of amateur DIY.

Top quality laminate, on the other hand, can almost fool most people into thinking it's real hardwood. And it's usually just as expensive as a decent mid-range hardwood.

Dan is right about water issues, but that goes for hardwood too. Go with tile in bath or kitchen areas.

If the existing hardwood on the main floor is 40 or more years old, it's probably a 3/8 board (you can check thickness by lifting an air grate and measuring). If so, scrap it.

I've sanded and refinished 3/8 flooring in five different apartments, but will never do it again. If you hire a crew to refinish, it will cost damn near the same as replacing it, and you'll still hear the squeaks everywhere you walk.

I would rip out the old hardwood and screw down the floor properly. Or use a stud finder to locate the floor joists, mark a 6 inch grid pattern and screw the existing 3/8 flooring down.

When you rip out the broadloom upstairs, screw down the underlay on the same pattern.

Then lay proper 3/4 hardwood over everything. The only place to attempt to stain and match is the stairs.

Good luck.

 

[peace]

Art, can you do my floor upstairs pleaseeeeee!?!?

 

[-b]

Hardwood it looks nicer.....

 

[Shiek]

You have a few choices...

Laminate is crap, no matter how you look at it. It's cheap, looks cheap and doesnt last. It's also noisy as hell compared to real wood. There are some exceptions but the price is the same as engineered wood floors.

Engineered floors, go down like solid 3/4 hardwood except that is layered like plywood with a prefinished surface. The downside is, you cant refinish it, the upside is, it doesnt shrink or swell like solid hardwood. Personally I love this stuff. But dont cheap out on the price and stay away from the made in china garbage.

Solid 3/4 wood. This is the best of the best, can be refinished numerous times, is strong and durable and when you purchase a good grade it'll last forever. The downside is, it does shrink and expand with the humidity levels.


I have a very good flooring contractor to do the install if you are looking for one, drop me a pm.

 

[Robintheboywonder]

Don't cheap out Repo and trust me, you will get more when you sell the home. Kitchens, bathrooms and nice floors bring in $$$$$.

 

[papasmerf]

Look at it this way

Laminate is 10 to 25 years worth of flooring

Hardwood is forever

I am however a Bamboo fan.

Hard as all get out, pretty much water proof and looks great.

 

[oldguyzer]

Like almost everything in life you get what you pay for. You want to get cheaper flooring, go for laminate. You want the best quality that will last? Go hardwood.

It's like women...you want cheap, you get cheap. But you pay a lot more for the long-lasting great quality ladies.

 

[Cardinal Fang]

Go with Parquet. It's making a comeback.

 

[oldguyzer]

I thought it was butter. :biggrin2:

 

[papasmerf]

I thought it was butter. :biggrin2:

:good:

 

[Shiek]

I thought it was butter. :biggrin2:

:LMAO::LMAO::LMAO::LMAO::LMAO:

OMFG, that one really got me laughing this am

 

[Madman]

More silliness, I don't understand what has gotten into everyone this morning, all I know right now is a have a craving for toast.

 

[oldguyzer]

:LMAO::LMAO::LMAO::LMAO::LMAO:

OMFG, that one really got me laughing this am

$25 in small, unmarked bills, behind the mailbox on the corner.

(You do realize that getting that means you're old!)

 

[papasmerf]

 

[Shiek]

More silliness, I don't understand what has gotten into everyone this morning, all I know right now is a have a craving for toast.

Lets not skate around the issue here.... it's a long weekend and I'm going fishing

 

[papasmerf]