Wood Flooring - Advantages and Disadvantages

The modern flooring industry provides a wide array of options in terms of proper flooring, depending on your own preference, requirements, home interior, lifestyle and budget. So, what are the alternatives?

Hardwood Flooring

Solid wood flooring Hardwood floors are typically one of the most popular amenities that people tend to go for on buying a property. They have several distinguishing advantages over all other flooring types:

Timber is a natural product and men is nowhere near as good as Nature
Wooden floors last long and can be easily repaired/renovated if damaged
They not only look great but give your home a unique character
Bring that nice feel of natural wood as compared to ceramic or synthetic floors that are, simply put, artificial, sterile and void of life. Quite important for your toddlers, especially if they love running around barefooted
Natural wood is healthy and hypo-allergic.
Timber is a great insulator and will not only let you save on your energy bill but help you maintain a constant temperature as well
Wooden floors are a multi-functional, “all-inclusive” solution that comes in a great variety of colours and types.
Whatever your lifestyle, this is a great choice that you can never go wrong with.
Perfect for both domestic and commercial use.
Brings a small part of unspoiled nature to your home.

The best type of wood is the one to best suit your lifestyle, home interior, and budget. Just enquire and we will let you know what we think are the best options in your specific case. The industry offers an overwhelming variety of wooden floors, so here are the basics:

Made of single-layer, solid timber and sold as finished or unfinished planks, solid wood can be easily dyed to best fit your lifestyle, requirements, and interior. It generally comes in three varieties, i.e. strips (wider blocks), plank and parquet (individual strips that make up geometrical patterns). Unfinished blocks can be stained to better match your home interior and finished on-site. Whether the wood stain is used or not, the wood floor requires proper finishing by applying different agents, such as lacquers, wax etc. to preserve and help the floor retain its colour and natural look.

Hardwood Flooring - Pros

Hardwood floors are durable and able to stand the test of time since there are quite a few houses that are more than 200 years old and still have their original flooring, provided it´s been cared for properly, which is as easy as regular dust sweeping and occasional cleaning with specifically formulated agents.
Hardwood floors never go out of fashion or at least, have been in the vogue for 400 years now. They can be renovated and refreshed multiple times over their lifespan.
They bring value to your property. Buyers are usually willing to pay extra for a house with hardwood floors and homes with it tend to sell much faster than those featuring laminated or engineered floors or wall-to-wall carpeting because most people consider hardwood flooring an upgrade, a bonus feature of the property.
Hardwood floors work with all types of furniture, classic or minimalistic and modern, not to mention solid wood can be easily stained and finished so as to closely match your own taste, interior, and lifestyle.

Hardwood Flooring - Cons

Hardwood floors are extremely susceptible to moisture- and temperature-induced mechanical deformations and water can ruin them in a snap.
Solid wood is by no means the cheapest option and comes with a relatively pricey installation that is best left to professionals with the necessary skills, machinery etc.
They may be challenging to maintain alongside other flooring types, both in terms of price and methodology.
Scratched and scuffed floors are prone to showing damage and will have to be refinished and that, even if not really expensive, needs to be done regularly.
Hardwood flooring can be somewhat noisy to walk across, which may prove to be an ordeal to your neighbours, especially those living directly downstairs, although something as cheap as a floor rug can help a lot.

Engineered Wood Floors

Engineered wood flooring is a modern flooring material that imitates traditional hardwood floorboards. It consists of an uppermost hardwood veneer and several (two to five) tightly stuck layers (ply) and is most often pre-finished. The uppermost layer is usually made of hardwood and is 1-7mm thin, the core or middle one of HDF, plywood or softwood. Engineered floors boast improved tensile strength and durability and are therefore less prone to shrinking and swelling. But, the visual appeal of engineered floors is, essentially, skin deep.

Blocks typically consist of thin wood veneer over a plywood stuffing or substrate. However, the practical qualities it boasts makes it better suited for humid environments that would ruin solid wood even if not right away, then pretty fast. Engineered floors can be installed directly onto the concrete, plus it's relatively thin, up to 6/8 inch, so it can be easily installed on top of your existing flooring during property renovations.

Engineered flooring typically comes prefinished and you can have an idea about the general quality of the finish by the suggested length of the warranty. The typical thickness of the hardwood veneer means blocks can be refinished up to three times.

Finally, engineered flooring won´t save you money really. While certain entry-level blocks are really cheap, this comes at the expense of overall quality, while top-quality engineered flooring is as expensive as solid wood.

Ultimately, especially if pre-finished, which is the better option, the installation cost of both solid and engineered wood is virtually the same.

Engineered Wood Floors - Pros

Can be renovated up to three times (depending on uppermost layer thickness)
Structure makes blocks less susceptible to mechanical deformations
Retains its “natural” look for a long time
It can be glued instead of nailed
Can be used in areas where traditional solid wood would make for an extremely bad choice
Comes pre-finished (more often than not), meaning cheaper installation since no sanding and finishing is required and finally, you can move your furniture back in right away

Engineered Wood Floors - Cons

Engineered wood is more resistant to moisture than solid hardwood, but it can still be affected by excessive moisture. Prolonged exposure to high humidity or water can cause the layers to delaminate or warp.
Engineered wood has a thinner top layer of real wood compared to solid hardwood. As a result, it can only be sanded and refinished a limited number of times before the veneer wears down. This can be a concern for those who prefer a floor that can be refinished multiple times over its lifespan.
While generally more affordable than solid hardwood, engineered wood can still be more expensive than some other flooring options, such as laminate or certain types of tile.
While engineered wood is often considered easier to install than solid hardwood, it still requires a level and dry subfloor. Additionally, the floating installation method may pose challenges for some DIY enthusiasts.

Laminate (Synthetic) Wood Floors

Laminate flooring is not made of wood, although it looks as if it is. What is it then? A photograph of hardwood sandwiched between a transparent uppermost laminate layer (hard, transparent synthetics designed to protect the “microfilm” beneath, hence the name), an HDF layer and a lowermost layer to protect the HDF coating that is collectively referred to as fiberboard backing. Laminated flooring can be installed directly over the concrete subfloor, and comes at a fraction of the price of solid wood and DIY enthusiasts will be happy to find out it´s extremely easy to install by even people without much experience.

The overall quality of laminated flooring has improved dramatically over the last several years and if properly installed, people won´t be able to tell the difference between it and normal hardwood. The only sign it´s not actually solid wood is the hollow noise it gives away when walked across. Fortunately, the issue can be addressed easily by installing sound-dampening underlay and some types of laminated floors come with the material incorporated into the block by the manufacturer.

Laminated floors have several advantages over all other flooring options. First and foremost, of course, it´s the price. Laminate tends to be much cheaper, but there are types that are extremely expensive as well. So, why is that? Unlike hardwood, laminate comes in different wear-resistance classes and in general, it´s shock, chemicals and to an extent, waterproof. Although the laminated floor does not normally fear water, it may have an extremely damaging effect if it seeps through floor gaps and manages to penetrate the planks in depth. In other words, it´s better if you don’t wet the floor, although slight moistening would not be harmful, say when you clean it with a cloth, provided it´s not soaking wet.

On the other hand, getting your hardwood floor wet, whatever the reason, is one of the worst things that may happen to it, not to mention solid wood flooring boasts no shock resistance we can speak of. Moreover, laminated floors do not need regular maintenance; actually, they don’t need any maintenance other than cleaning. They cannot be sanded, polished, finished etc. Finally, they do not have the penchant for keeping dirt and stains that other types of floors have an unfaltering affinity for.

Laminate Flooring - Pros

Laminate flooring is indeed cost-effective, making it a budget-friendly option for various spaces.
The straightforward installation process makes laminate flooring a popular choice for homeowners who enjoy DIY projects.
Laminate is known for its durability and resistance to scratches and dents, providing a resilient flooring surface.

Laminate Flooring - Cons

Laminate flooring is highly sensitive to water exposure, and prolonged contact can result in swelling, warping, or delamination.
While laminate flooring can replicate the look of natural wood, it generally has a shorter lifespan compared to genuine hardwood floors.
Unlike some flooring types, laminate flooring cannot be sanded or refinished. Therefore, any damage or wear typically necessitates replacement, potentially making it more expensive over the long term.
Laminate flooring may contain materials like high-density fiberboard (HDF) and adhesives, and some products may emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which could be a concern for environmentally conscious consumers.