I want to change the floor in my kitchen, hallway, living room and T.V. room. I don't know if I should do real wood flooring or laminate wood flooring. I have the typical messy 3 year old and 6 year old. I want the easiest to maintain! Any ideas of which would be the best?
Thanks everyone for all your help. After reading what everyone had to say I am definitely getting laminate. I went to Home Depot and chose a medium to light color in the Dupont line. I will probably not be able to get it in for a month but now I am so excited! Thanks again.
Laminate is easiest and most resilient...probably more cost effective, too. I vote for it!
A good laminate will be the easiest to maintain and not trap dust or provide you with splinters. Find something with a good warranty- Dupont/Shaw are a few of the top laminate flooring makers right now and they have a 25/30 year warranty. That's what I'm putting in my bedroom as we speak. Just be aware there are cheaper brands-but you definately get what you pay for. The cheaper ones will dent if you drop something. I have had laminate in my kitchen for 6 years and love it. My Pyrex dish smashed all over it and didn't leave a mark and it still looks like the day we put it in.
Here is an informational link for you-
http://www.laminatefloorings.net/
Hope this helps
C.
We have laminate in our home office and I love it! It is so easy to maintain and cleans up in a snap.
Good luck!
Hello, R.! We just put down in early Spring laminate wood flooring in all the main floor, except the bathroom and our bedroom. We had real wood flooring in our previous home..both have pros and cons. However, I like the laminate flooring better because of lower maintenance i.e. the real wood flooring we had to sand down, wax and reseal on occasion, not to mention an occasional splinter as the wood aged. The laminate is easy care..spills, etc. clean right up. I mop the floor about once per week, and use our Kirby vac. every other day. We have kids and pets, and nothing cleans better. As far as cleaning solutions..anything that says it can clean on sealed wood floors. It was easy putting down, too. See your local Home Depot or other store for more details. Good luck!L.-Michigan
I don't really know anything about wood but I've had the laminate in my living and dining room for about 2 years now and I LOVE it. It's very easy to clean and take care of. We actually went for the less expensive version and I'm still happy with it. I haven't had any problems with dents or anything, although it does tend to scratch easily with furniture and things like that. I expected it though, and for the price we paid I won't have any problem replacing it with a better brand once my kids are older.
Hi. I would get laminate flooring, because it is easier to maintain. We have both and I am constantly trying to get the humidity right for the real wood, so it doesn't have spaces between the planks...That's what happens when it gets dry in your house. All winter long we are messing with humidifiers. I hate it. Plus, I think the laminate is prettier. Good luck. A.
