- By: Lion King Flooring
- Category: Uncategorized
- 0 comment
When it comes to home décor, choosing what type of flooring option you want doesn’t have to be frustrating. You can always put in new accessories or you can paint the walls, but putting in new floors can always be costly, which is why it is important to properly consider what flooring to go for. These days there are many flooring options, so you don’t have to stick by your old carpets or scratched up vinyl flooring.
It is always good to do some research before planning on putting down new flooring. Once you know a bit about different varieties of floors which you can get, and the benefits of the various types, you can choose the one that fits your budget and your living space. Visit us at Lion King Flooring for best flooring options with the best deals.
Best Flooring Options:
As there are so many options to choose from, we have made a top 5 list which outline the pros, cons, costs & the best way to use them for each type of flooring.
-
Laminate Flooring:
If you are planning on renovating a new or existing home, you can always choose to install laminate flooring as an alternative to carpets and tiles. Our store offers a wide range of styles and colours with varying price ranges. All our laminates are DIY handy, you can simply purchase the flooring & install it yourself if you like.
Advantages:
With laminate flooring, you can get a huge variety of styles such as stone, oak and hardwood. Laminate is one of the cheapest flooring options available and is cheaper than traditional timber and hybrid flooring. Laminate is also easy to install and can be done DIY (there are many guides available online on installing laminates). Being a HDF (High Density Fibreboard), laminates also come with many flooring accessories to match the floor such as stair capping and wall edging. Laminates are easy to maintain and stain resistant. As a floating floor, they resist buckling and cracking as they can expand and contract with changes in pressure and temperature. All they require is sweeping or vaccum cleaning and finishing over with a slightly damp mop from time to time.
Disadvantages:
Laminate flooring is only water resistant, which means that you’ll have to mop up excess water and not let puddles of water sit on top of the boards for prolonged periods of time. Otherwise you run the risk of damaging your floorboards as water could seep through and cause warping. Also laminate floorboards cannot be sanded and you will need to replace them if they become chipped or are worn out.
Cost:
Laminate flooring is a more economical option when compared with hybrid, engineered timber or solid hardwood timer.
Best Use:
Laminate floors are highly versatile and can be installed throughout the house in both homes and units. If you don’t have problems with water leaks or standing water, then you can install laminate floors in basements as well. It is always a good idea to keep laminate floors away from wet rooms like laundry and bathrooms.
-
Hybrid Flooring:
If you are looking for a 100% waterproof option, hybrid flooring is the flooring of choice for you. This sort of flooring provides the strength & durability of laminates, with the same luxury appeal of the vinyl planks. They are durable as well with a 0.5mm anti scratch layer on top of the flooring that resists stains and scratches. They also have a wide range of colours as well, suitable for any new renovation. As it is a waterproof floor, you can install this flooring in most rooms throughout the house. Our hybrid flooring also comes with 2mm attached IXPE underlay (acoustic underlay) making it quick and easy to install.
Advantages:
Our hybrid flooring is 100% waterproof and can be installed in wet areas such as kitchens and laundries. With a 0.5mm clear anti scratch layer, hybrid floors are scratch and stain resistant and can be easily cleaned with household mild cleaning detergents. With a wide range of colours to choose from, there’s bound to be a colour suitable for your home. The flooring comes with an attached acoustic underlay which saves time in installing the floors and are suitable to install in most apartments or units.
Disadvantages:
Unfortunately, just like with the laminate floorboards, you can’t sand these floorboards. Although the flooring is waterproof, you cannot install it in bathrooms as the excess water can go through underneath the boards which can damage your subfloor. Hybrid SPC flooring will also require a level subfloor to be installed.
Best Use:
Hybrid flooring is great to install throughout the house as it is a waterproof product. Although they are waterproof, they cannot be installed outdoors. You still should avoid installing hybrid flooring in bathrooms as areas that are constantly wet will allow for mould to grow underneath the boards.
-
Engineered Timber Flooring:
Engineered timber flooring has the appearance and feel of real solid timber with the flexibility of installation as a floating floor. This is achieved by the layer/veneer of real timber on top of the flooring with the beautiful grains and colours of solid timber. The timber layer is given a tough wear layer with multi coatings of lacquer. This top layer is backed by a multi layer plywood core which makes the floor more stable compared to solid timber. This means that there are less chances of crowning, cupping and gapping when there is a flux in humidity or temperature.
Advantages:
Engineered timber flooring is more stable than solid hardwood flooring. The multi plywood core will provide longevity to your engineered flooring. When you’re constructing a floorboard, stability is the key to them. This means that they are less prone to cup, bow or twist in extreme weather conditions. Engineered floors can be installed as floating floors which means you can install them in units or apartments. You can also sand and polish the floor if you wish.
Disadvantages:
If not handled with care, you can scratch and dent this flooring. When compared with the solid hardwood flooring, this flooring can only be sanded one to three times because otherwise you run the risk that it will wear through to the plywood.
Best Use:
Engineered timber flooring can be installed in all the same conditions as the solid hardwood flooring. They can be installed internally throughout the house except for wet areas.
-
Hardwood Flooring:
One of the best flooring options around is Solid Hardwood flooring. This flooring is mainly popular because of its classic look. The problem is it doesn’t hold up well against changes in moisture or if treated roughly. We at Lion King Flooring are doing wooden floorboards starting at 18mm thickness. They are installed by nailing them down to the wooden subfloor.
Advantages:
Solid hardwood flooring looks great with all sorts of indoor décor. Solid hardwood flooring will last you a long time since it can be refinished up to 5 times so you can remove scratches on the surface. You can also increase the resale value of your house if you add solid hardwood floors. They are easy to install as you can install them as a DIY project. These floorboards are easy to clean as you can simply mop up any spills.
Disadvantages:
These floorboards don’t do well against moisture as they can easily warp when exposed to moisture. Therefore, installing them in the laundry rooms or bathrooms is always a bad idea. These floorboards can swell or shrink when exposed to changing temperatures. Solid hardwood flooring needs to be refinished every 10 years so that its look could be maintained.
Best Use:
These solid hardwood floorboards are best for places that don’t get a lot of foot traffic. These places are areas like the living room, bedrooms and halls. You should try to avoid using them in kitchens as you scratch them up if you drag chairs or put dirty shoes on them.
We hope you got some great insight on what type of flooring you would like to get for your next project or home, contact us at Lion King Flooring for more precise professional help, Our team is always happy to help!
