FLOOR FUNCTION
A common conundrum many homeowners experience in times of a renovation is the question of deciding between hardwood floors, wood-look laminate flooring, and a luxury vinyl plank. There are many, many, (did we say many?) factors to consider in this decision. Often times the decision comes down to cost. Generally, hardwood floors are the most expensive, followed by luxury vinyl plank, and laminate flooring being the least expensive. Besides cost and installation differences, there are the questions of durability and aesthetic. Some flooring planks can have a lot of variability in the planks creating more movement in the overall installation and others are more uniform. Ultimately, the designer can help a homeowner weigh the benefits of each of the floorings, but the homeowner must make the decision on their own, as they will get to live with it!
If you are in this situation and want a quick check list of things to consider on the functional side of your decision, look no further!
STEP 1: Head to your local home improvement store and wander down their flooring aisles. Many stores offer free or cheap samples of different flooring products. Grab a few of the type of flooring and aesthetic you are interested in. Take the samples home for some experimentation!
STEP 2: Tap the samples with your fingernail or a heel of a shoe. Listen for the sound it makes, some products can sound “clicky” when someone walks across them, and others have acoustical properties that helps absorb the sound better. Much of this depends on the quality/price of the product, but definitely something to consider when selecting a flooring.
STEP 3: Look at the visual grain of the flooring product and the top clear protective layer. A higher-quality laminate or luxury vinyl flooring will have a textured clear top layer that visually aligns with the print visual underneath to give the realistic look of real hardwood. Less expensive options might have the clear layer grain uniform and not aligned with the visual, which may or may not be something you notice when standing. Just take a look and see what you prefer.
STEP 4: Wipe some peanut butter, jelly, yogurt, or some other sticky substance on the sample, and wipe it off with a wet paper towel! Some grain in flooring can be fairly deep, and depending on your homemaking habits or desire for cleanability, a flooring that takes some elbow grease to get clean might take a backseat in selection to one that cleans up with a quick paper towel wipe.
STEP 5: Scratch test! Take your house key, a butter knife, or something sharp and scratch the floor a little and see how it responds. Some floors hide scratches or blemishes better than others depending on the color and/or material. If you have furry friends with sharp nails or kiddos that play hard, you might want to consider some of the normal wear and tear that your floor will experience before you have that final install.
Every homeowner will have different priorities when it comes to flooring. The fun part about experimenting with your samples is that you will get a taste for what characteristics are most important to you, which may help narrow down your selection, and help you find a floor that you absolutely love!!
Still have questions and need guidance with your new flooring selection? We would love to help. Send us a note and we will help you find the flooring of your dreams!
Cheers!
