Hardwood Floors

Hardwood is gorgeous and definitely the most preferred.  It varies a great deal in price, depending on the wood you choose to use.  Generally, hardwood is the most expensive option.  Below I have listed the pros and cons.

Pros

• It’s the real stuff and real is better, right?
• It’s gorgeous and timeless
• Adds value to your home
• It can be refinished if it gets nicks or scratches in it, you can sand it down and refinish it

Cons

• Shows wear and tear
• Has to be refinished to stay looking nice
• Can get damaged with excessive moisture
• More expensive than other options

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

This is what we have.  It is made of an mdf material (pressed wood) and then it has 1/4 inch wood veneer on the top.  The top is real hardwood, but it does not go solid all the way through.  Engineered flooring has its place and can look beautiful as well.

Pros

• Comes prefinished, so you never have to sand and refinish
• Less expensive
• You can replace the damaged pieces one by one, and it matches because it is prefinished.
• It does not expand and contract as much as solid wood with changes in your humidity

Cons

• You can’t sand it down if you get scratches, you have to replace it.
• Moisture damage if exposed to excessive water

Laminate Flooring

This is a vinyl layering over a pressed board to appear like wood, but is actually made of vinyl.

Pros

• Durable- doesn’t show wear (scratches and dents) like wood does
• It can be very realistic in texture and style
• Less maintenance
• Easy to clean
• Much less expensive

Cons

• It can’t be refinished
• It can react badly to excessive moisture as well
• It’s not the “real deal”
• Does not add value to the home because most people prefer real hardwood