Hardwood vs. Laminate

As laminate flooring becomes more popular people wonder whether they should go with wood or laminate. Because each of the choices has their respective benefits and drawbacks, the answer is not always simple; however wood flooring is generally preferred. Whether you’re in need of Scottsdale hardwood floors or a laminated floor depends on different factors outlined below.

To understand laminate flooring, you must first understand its composition. Laminate flooring is usually comprised of a fiberboard core, set in between melamine laminate backing, and photographic paper with an image of wood, stone or other natural flooring and a melamine laminate top. If a laminate floor is scratched or torn, it is not easily repaired. Scratches on hardwood floors, on the other hand are fairly easy to repair. Typically a hardwood floor can be sanded to remove imperfections; while the same is not true with laminate floors. By this token, if you foresee a lot of scratching and scuffing in your floor's future (if you have pets, for example), a hardwood is a better choice than laminate.

One thing to note is that both hardwood floors and laminates can be affected by excessive moisture, but laminate flooring can hold up to being put in room with a lot of moisture (such as a kitchen or bathroom). In Arizona, hardwoods do well, as there is not much moisture to damage the wood. In regard to sound, a special padding is required under laminate floors to reduce the floor's potential for noise. This is important if you are considering placing the flooring in a loud room. As you can see hardwood is generally preferred except in rooms that experience a lot of moisture, such as a bathroom or kitchen.

Caring for your Hardwood floor

There many important items to take in mind when caring for your hardwood floor. Although these may seem straightforward, here is a simple guide to ensure you are treating your floor with optimum care. If you would like your Scottsdale hardwood floors to last, you must maintain them well.

Vacuum

To remove any loose dirt or grit it is important to Vacuum, dry mop or sweep. Vacuuming with a soft brush attachment is typically the best method.

Spray

The second step in caring for your Arizona hardwoods is to lightly mist a 4' x 6' area of your floor or simply mist the cleaning pad.

Clean

Finally, Use the misted cleaning pad to thoroughly clean the floor surface ensuring that you finish one area before moving on to the next. Once your mop pad becomes soiled, rinse with water, thoroughly wring out the pad and continue cleaning. Because continued use of excessively soiled pads may cause streaking, once your pad is soaked, make sure that you replace it with a new cleaning pad.

Hardwood, the healthy choice

Allergists recommend hardwood flooring as the best choice for people with allergies. Carpets tend to accumulate dirt and mold, even with regular vacuuming. Dirt gets easily trapped in the fibers of your carpet. In Scottsdale, Hardwood floors are easy to clean, because there is nowhere for the dirt to hide. Not only that, but hardwoods are beautiful. Give your body a chance to live in a house free of the allergens of wall to wall carpeting, replace it with Arizona hardwoods.