Wooden or Laminate Flooring?...

make_life_easier

I have had laminate flooring for 5 years now. It's the best thing we ever did having a golden labrador. The carpets absolutely minged. At least now I can brush up most days and it comes up lovely when I give them a wash.

laughing_cow

I'd choose solid wood, without a doubt - looks nicer and ages better than laminate.

When I bought my flat it was a wreck and as I was living in it I needed to do some of the basics quite quickly (and at limited cost). So, I sorted the electrics, installed heating, got it plastered throughout and had a laminate floor laid. This was all quite easy as it was my first flat and I hadn't bought sofa/table/bed etc at this point. Now I really wish I had thought ahead, spent a little more and got a quality solid wood floor. The laminate is ok, but I've seen my neighbours oak floor and it's SO much nicer. I'd love to change it but it's not just the money that prevents me, it's the difficulty. I've now got furniture and I'm in a one bed flat at the top of the building so I have nowhere to put my stuff if I wanted a new floor laid - it certainly won't all fit on my balcony!

I'd go for solid wood, but whatever you decide, get a decent quality floor - it's a lot of hassle and not moneysaving to need to change it in a few years time.

George_Bray

A further thought - I don't see how thick laminate flooring is any better than thin laminate flooring in the vast majority of situations. It strikes me as a waste of money. If either is laid on to a flat surface it's not likely to snap, is it? Thickness is irrelevant. It's only the top surface which matters, together with indirect qualities like water-resistance. In real wood, greater depth may be better because it can take more sanding and last decades, or even centuries.

Regards
George

across

flippinmental i'm glad youve started this debate because i had already chosen to go for quickstep for my downstairs as it looks great in the shop and even though it is quite expensive after reading some of the posts i feel more sure i'm making the right choice! thanks!

manic

What about engineered wood flooring?

OddjobKIA

just to chuck a prevebial hammer in the works How about natural stone floor it costs any where from £25-99 depending on what your after it will last longer than anybody alive at the moment. It never goes out of fashion it isnt as noisy or cold as wood/lamminate. But as easy to clean I know it cost slightly more in the begining but will save you thousands over the next 50 years
try
https://www.harrisslate.com

edwara

hi just to make another suggestion, have you looked at Amtico? It comes in a million and one woods, width of plank, and you can lay it out however you want which may be a problem for people like me who struggle to choose but it is brilliant stuff. It can be laid in any room, comes with a 20 year guaruntee and is queit under foot. We had laminate in our last kitchen, never again, it was noisy scrtached and chipped easily as well. My mum has amitco, it looks like real wood hasn't marked and just needs going over with a swiffer or mop. We are going to lay it in our new playroom as it should be bomb proof enough for the kids.

It is pretty pricey £55 per sq m but John lewis have got some of teh range £20 per sq m off at the moment, not for much longer though! ther is also a cheaper range called simply Amtico which only comes in a limited selection of finishes.

hope this has helped not confused!

cuffie

We are thinking about wood. Having looked around, I think it looks better and if you get any scratches, you can easily sand it down.
Now, the stone option is my fave (not hubby's!). So, thanks for that OddjobKIA! My question is - is it too much to have in the kitchen/diner AND hallway? I def want it in kitchen/diner, but hubby thinks it will be too much in the hallway as well (which is why we were thinking about the wood).
xx

tawnyowls

manic wrote:

What about engineered wood flooring?

I think the OP was including that in 'solid wood' - the answers seem to have assumed that it was a choice between laminate planks and wood planks in any case, wheras actually solid (all the way through) wood is generally blocks.

edwara wrote:

hi just to make another suggestion, have you looked at Amtico? It comes in a million and one woods, width of plank, and you can lay it out however you want which may be a problem for people like me who struggle to choose but it is brilliant stuff.

It is excellent, although I'd generally go for Karndean rather than Amtico from a cost point of view.

charlie_chaplin

Can anyone give opions on the pro's and con's of engineered wooden flooring, i really want solid oak flooring, but visited a wharehouse that sells it and the guy working there advised me to think about engineered oak flooring, now he would make much more by selling me solid 150mm wide oak which is 20mm thick, but said to me to consider engineered oak, anyone have any views on this product?