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Laminate adds no resale value over carpet.
Easier to swiffer every other day to keep the dust down, instead of a vacuum weekly or every other week, with carpet.
A little moisture at the seams and boom a nice little blister/bump on the edge.
It is tile. It is cold in the winter(unless radiant heat is involved) It is hands and knees to clean well, like wiping down a grout job, instead of just smearing dirt back and forth. Light grout will be dark even if it is sealed, unless you clean the tile and grout daily in the traffic lanes.
It will last a very long time, as long as your concrete slab doesn't crack, have cracks now, or you use an anti-fracture membrane, like Schluter manufacturers and distributes.
All flooring has their + & - You weigh the traffic, the durability and how long before you have to replace it, or have it professionally maintained to keep the manufactures warranty in tact.
Two different sources for our cork. Lumber Liquidators Lisbon brand(buy ONLY what they have on hand...getting the balance of our order from 'other' stores was a real pain) and a company back in Georgia(don't have the name handy). It was a DIY install...nowhere near as easy as 'clic-n-go' laminate; but not too tough. Most of the cork plank flooring is pre-sealed. You can add more sealer but we haven't. Maintenance is just a damp dusting or Swiffer. We haven't had to repair any areas; so I can't speak to 'damage'. In theory, a plank could be replaced, but that's not a project I look forward to. We were under $3/foot for the cork, DIY install and $50 worth of 6-mil vapor barrier.
We have very dark brown cork in both rooms(different shades). We will likely go with a natural look in the master closet. The dark colors look almost like leather when you first approach the room...pretty cool, I think. Lumber Liquidators: Browse & Refine Products
LL has samples on hand(and on floor ). Also, Lowe's has a special order cork brand and it seems like I've passed by in-stock cork at HD(not sure which one--maybe MoPac frontage rd @ CapTexas Hwy---opposite end from Mimi's and Natural Grocer?)
I'm fairly cheap ; but I'd consider bringing in a pro for the next install. My knees ain't what they used to be! It'd be great to find an independent installer who knew his cork but would work with a 'helper'. Otherwise, I think you're looking at an install rate that would match the price of the cork.
Personally, I don't care for the newer 'skinny' planks of cork(designed to look like wood, I reckon) with the burnished edges. I prefer the 'no-grout' look of seamless joints. Easier to clean and certainly easier to install 1' x 3' planks rather than dealing with 4,5,6" planks.
I'd stay far away from Lumber Liquidators! You get what you pay for!
In a wet area, all manufacturers I have installed, recommend an additional coat if waterbased finish to help with the joints and moisture seepage that will swell the cork, as it is a hygroscopic natural material.
In my opinion, engineered hardwood is as natural as particleboard/MDF. Definitely not an "upgrade" over laminate flooring. Also, as far as price points are concerned, no I wouldn't put laminate in a high price point home, but I wouldn't consider a 250K home a "high price point home". Laminate is fine for mid range price points. Good laminate is too pricey for "low price point" homes, which tend to feature vinyl and carpet.
In my opinion, engineered hardwood is as natural as particleboard/MDF. Definitely not an "upgrade" over laminate flooring. Also, as far as price points are concerned, no I wouldn't put laminate in a high price point home, but I wouldn't consider a 250K home a "high price point home". Laminate is fine for mid range price points. Good laminate is too pricey for "low price point" homes, which tend to feature vinyl and carpet.
That's an interesting opinion. The actual surface that you see and touch in an engineered hardwood floor IS hardwood. It's the substrate that is 'engineered', partly for cost, partly to enhance the stability of the planks. Especially if an expensive/rare/exotic wood is desired, it's the engineering that makes it less expensive than solid planks. In theory, it's also better for the environment to engineer the substrate, rather than install thick slabs of Ipe, Mahogany, teak, exotic maples, cherry, etc.
Of course, as you and others have mentioned, there are different 'qualities' of hardwood, engineered hardwood, man-made laminates, and even tile.
That's an interesting opinion. The actual surface that you see and touch in an engineered hardwood floor IS hardwood. It's the substrate that is 'engineered', partly for cost, partly to enhance the stability of the planks. Especially if an expensive/rare/exotic wood is desired, it's the engineering that makes it less expensive than solid planks. In theory, it's also better for the environment to engineer the substrate, rather than install thick slabs of Ipe, Mahogany, teak, exotic maples, cherry, etc.
Of course, as you and others have mentioned, there are different 'qualities' of hardwood, engineered hardwood, man-made laminates, and even tile.
engineered hardwood has a thin veneer of hardwood over plywood. If the natural wood is 1/8" you can refinish it once or twice (every 20 years) It has the additional property of being able much more stable when glued directly to a foundation. The problem with solid hardwoods is that they expand as they absorb moisture from the slab. With the grains all lined up the installer has to be much better to avoid swelling and popping up at joints. Engineered dont have this issue. When applying directly to slab you cant really do much more than 5/16 hardwood safely anyway.
That's an interesting opinion. The actual surface that you see and touch in an engineered hardwood floor IS hardwood. It's the substrate that is 'engineered', partly for cost, partly to enhance the stability of the planks. Especially if an expensive/rare/exotic wood is desired, it's the engineering that makes it less expensive than solid planks. In theory, it's also better for the environment to engineer the substrate, rather than install thick slabs of Ipe, Mahogany, teak, exotic maples, cherry, etc.
Of course, as you and others have mentioned, there are different 'qualities' of hardwood, engineered hardwood, man-made laminates, and even tile.
Agreed. The surface you see and walk on on a solid wood floor and an engineered wood floor IS EXACTLY THE SAME wood. Read any hardwood floor website out there for a quick education; they run neck and neck as far as desirability, just for slightly different reasons. We had multiple realtors confirm this for us when we sold our last house.
After installing beautiful solid walnut floors in our home in CO (after having done substantial research), I can offer not only is engineered wood a significant upgrade over laminate, it's equally desirable as solid planks, just depends on your needs.
Looking at homes here in Austin, those with hardwood floors (solid or engineered) tend to be winners for us as those homes are also more likely to be well cared for. We are more concerned with the variety of wood, its Janka rating and how sustainable it is as opposed to if it's solid or engineered.
engineered hardwood has a thin veneer of hardwood over plywood. If the natural wood is 1/8" you can refinish it once or twice (every 20 years) It has the additional property of being able much more stable when glued directly to a foundation. The problem with solid hardwoods is that they expand as they absorb moisture from the slab. With the grains all lined up the installer has to be much better to avoid swelling and popping up at joints. Engineered dont have this issue. When applying directly to slab you cant really do much more than 5/16 hardwood safely anyway.
I'm in the design biz. So here's my take, for what it's worth. All options have advantages and disadvantages, obviously.
^^Austin 97 is right that engineered flooring is veneer over lower grade wood. This is okay, but sand it down twice, and it's pretty much toast. The other thing I don't like is the glue down option. All that 'gas off' makes for a toxic home. There is no "low VOC" floor glue. There are click and lock options, but that adds to the price. Also, for any glue down (or mortar with tile) option there is always the future expense of removal. If you're moving on, it's not your problem. But often, people live with flooring they've fallen of love with years ago, and would love new stuff, but get stuck, because the LABOR is too high to justify the change to a fresher, more updated option. Wouldn't actually recommend it for many people. Spending that much cash? Get hardwood. Bamboo and cork are very hard and nice options as well, esp. for more contemporary homes.
Which leads me to laminate which has taken quite a beating here. Laminate has improved DRAMATICALLY in recent years, and has definite advantages for some people. It's always 'floating' which means it clicks and locks in place and is secured at it's perimeter by quarter round molding. The maintenance is low, without sanding, staining or sealing. It also doesn't dent like hardwood (which can happen when say large dogs jump off furniture/beds). A lot of people think of laminate and think of Pergo from 10-15 years ago in those bleached out tones, and the clickity clack sounds of an improperly installed floor--really, this is a thing of the past. If you live in a historic (or 500K+) home or plan on your home being the last you ever live in, you ought to consider wood. Don't fall into these categories? Might want to reconsider laminate. Many people can't believe the better stuff isn't wood, and when you tire of it, it's easy-peasy to remove (a child could do it) and your next flooring budget need not involve the costly removal of your old floor. My only other advice concerning laminate is to pick a color that's mid-range (esp. for resale) instead of something either too dark or too light. This year's 'expresso' is what 'bleached pine' was 5 years ago.
I disagree with what another poster says about laminate vs. carpet. IMO, not many people in and around Austin want carpet anymore, 'cept the seniors. Especially someone else's carpet! For most homes laminate makes a home more desirable, carpet is a definite turn-off. Laminate is great for young families.
Ceramic and porcelain are definitely desirable for bathrooms, kitchens, and foyers. Throughout the house? Not in my experience. And as hot as it's been, we forget that this isn't the Caribbean, and it gets awfully cold here for months, making for a very cold (temperature wise on your feet/legs) house as well as a cold affect. There is also the grout issue. Many people think sealing it once is enough--it's not. Really it should be sealed once a year if you want the color to remain true.
Natural stone (travertine, marble, slate, granite, saltillo) are all great, but each have their own issues too numerous to dissect here, so I'll just say they all require more maintenance because they are very porous. If you want an easy care floor, these are not for you.
I'd say the best choices for most people in houses 350K and under is higher end laminate or wood if you want to splurge in LR, DR, BRs. Get ceramic tile or porcelain for entryways, kitchens and baths with heavy traffic (i.e. kids) you can do wood or laminate/wood in a powder room off a foyer instead of tile, and just hope you never get an backed up commode! Natural stone is awesome in master baths--a good place to enjoy the beauty of travertine or marble without the wear and tear of heavy foot traffic. Also adds to the value of your home to have a 'spa like' MBR. Mid century moderns look awesome with VCT.
And please, buy a couple extra cases of whatever flooring you have installed! You can keep tile in the garage, but must keep wood/laminate in your home (under a bed is perfect) so it won't swell. Companies that make these products will not be producing your pattern/color in 6 mos., much less a year or two. And write down your grout color/company.
When I was looking for a home in 2008, all tile homes were a real turn-off, I would not consider them. I hate tile in living areas and bedrooms.
I don't like wood laminate much either, prefer real hardwoods. But I would prefer a mix high-quality laminate and tile over all tile.
Agreed. All tile was a deal-breaker for us. Aside from the fact that it just feels very "cold" to me, it is also ridiculously hard to replace. So if someone doesn't like the particular tile you chose, or would prefer a certain room be wood, they are pretty much SOL. And yes, tile will last forever. However it will also look dated eventually. Even the most neutral tile will look dated in 20 years. Remember that white tile that was so popular in the 80's?
Wood never goes out of style. We've had our real wood floors for 6 years now and hey still look great, even with 2 small kids and an 80 pound dog. And they can be refinished.
Laminate looks cheap. Even the "good" laminate. But the laminate that looks that good costs almost as much as wood, so I don't know why you wouldn't just spend a little more to get the real thing. The only good thing I can say about it is that it's easy to rip up and replace, since it is usually floating.
Looking at homes here in Austin, those with hardwood floors (solid or engineered) tend to be winners for us as those homes are also more likely to be well cared for. We are more concerned with the variety of wood, its Janka rating and how sustainable it is as opposed to if it's solid or engineered.
? Sorry, but I've never heard of this before -- a home not having a wood floor means that more than likely it isn't well cared for? What the???? My home is very well cared for, whether or not it has a wood floor.
? Sorry, but I've never heard of this before -- a home not having a wood floor means that more than likely it isn't well cared for? What the???? My home is very well cared for, whether or not it has a wood floor.
Unsure what you're referring to as this is not what I said. I said homes we've seen with wood floors have been better maintained and well care for overall; these tend to be the same homes that have been updated aesthetically (kitchen and bath updates, etc.) and, more importantly, mechanically (HVAC, roof, windows, etc). Most of the homes we've seen with tile throughout have not been updated in decades. Sorry, it is what it is.
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). Also, Lowe's has a special order cork brand and it seems like I've passed by in-stock cork at HD(not sure which one--maybe MoPac frontage rd @ CapTexas Hwy---opposite end from Mimi's and Natural Grocer?)
; but I'd consider bringing in a pro for the next install. My knees ain't what they used to be!
It'd be great to find an independent installer who knew his cork but would work with a 'helper'. Otherwise, I think you're looking at an install rate that would match the price of the cork.
Especially someone else's carpet! For most homes laminate makes a home more desirable, carpet is a definite turn-off. Laminate is great for young families.
