Tips to Help Pick The Right Flooring For Your Home
New flooring can significantly transform the look and feel of your home. When renovating a space, one of the most important things you need to consider is the floor. This is more so if you are dealing with outdated laminate flooring or if you need to deal away with the worn out carpets. There are so many prevailing trends when it comes to heated floors and driveway heating systems. It is up to you to pick the option that best suits your needs. To help you make a good choice, you have to consider the pros and cons of each option. This post focuses on hardwood, engineered hardwood and cork.
HARDWOOD
Hardwood is definitely one of the most sought after materials when it comes to floor heating. It is made from solid lumber which is a natural insulator. The best thing about hardwood is that it is easy to clean, looks amazing with virtually any décor, and adds structural strength and it is quite durable. These floors attract less dust and will trap even less dirt when compared to carpets. This means you don’t have to deal with allergens or molds. They are a perfect choice for person with asthma or allergies.
The downside, however, is that hardwood is not moisture resistant. Spills need to be cleaned promptly. Second, the individual boards can shrink or expand depending on the humidity in the house. Indoor humidity needs to be kept at between 45 and 55 percent all year round. Hardwood floors are also harder to install in condominiums since they have to be nailed down and appropriate space left for natural expansion and contraction.
ENGINEERED HARDWOOD
Although they are more expensive than hardwood floors, the engineered hardwood is a much better choice. They are made using the top layer of dried out hardwood with lower layers made of several layers of plywood, solid wood or HDF bonded under pressure. The option is durable and moisture resistant. It is ideal for interiors where humidity and temperature fluctuations are significant such as basements and cottages. There are more methods of installing engineered hardwood hence more flexibility.
The only downside is that this solution is more expensive. The cost depends on the plank size, cost and quality of glues used and the cost of the lumber.
CORK
The third option you should consider for your snow melting systems is cork. This is made from the cork oak tree. It is more environmentally friendly since the tree doesn’t need to be cut in order to harvest cork. It is hypoallergenic and its natural properties make it resistant to mildew, mold and bacteria. Cork is also a natural fire retardant. Cork is 50% air and is hence warmer under the feet.
The con of using cork is that you have to be careful to prevent damage from furniture feet as well as pet nails. Furniture should be fitted with pads and you should not walk in in high heels. The floors will be affected by humidity too.
These three options will be great for flooring. You need to be vigilant when deciding on the options to go with. Let cost not be the only determining factor.
