Laminate Flooring and Carpet Flooring
Caught in between choosing carpet or laminate flooring? You have probably found yourself torn between the use of laminate flooring or carpet. This is a difficult decision to make but with some insight on the pros and cons of each, you will be better placed to make the best decision. In most cases, budget and appearance are the main consideration when choosing the type of flooring. The other two factors that are considered are durability and aesthetic value.
Carpet flooring provides a warm surface to step on. Laminate floors nowadays are approved for radiant heating also but that comes at added costs. If temperature is your most important factor, you may thus opt for carpets as they will guarantee a warm surface without the need for radiant heating. During winter, laminate floors do not help in keeping the room warm. Electric radiant heating needs to be installed directly underneath the flooring to keep the room warm.
Carpets do not last for long compared to laminate flooring. If you want something durable, you can go for laminate as it lasts even for up to two decades. With carpets, low quality models may not even last for two years and thus will need to be replaced every couple of years. Over the years, laminate floors have changed drastically and modern versions look more authentic, tougher, are long lasting and look similar to real wood.
Carpets are easy to install as all you need to do is spread it throughout the room. This is a do-it-yourself task. You don’t need any professional experience in order to lay the carpet well. With laminate, you may need some expertise in order to lay it in the right manner.
Both carpets and laminate match each other in the sense that they require no maintenance at all. They are easy to clean and most of their surfaces are stain resistant. Though some carpets may stain for spillages such as wine, they are generally easy to clean up and remove the stains.
Laminate flooring is fabricated from scratch. This means there are a lot of options when choosing the right one for your house regardless of your taste and preference. This is the same with carpets which can be made into any form of pattern for decoration purposes. There are an unlimited number of choices with both carpets and laminate.
For laminate flooring, one main disadvantage is that contrary to what some people think; it is not real. It is an image or photograph of wood that is glued to a high density backing board. You must therefore be aware it is not wood. Making a wrong choice may see you end up with a tacky floor. It would be like you are trying to make something wooden out of something that is not wood.
A smart choice between laminate and carpet would be to combine the two. You can use laminate flooring on the floors and carpets in the bedrooms. This is an economic way as you place each type where it will be mostly appreciated. Both have their pros and cons. essentially, choosing between laminate and carpet flooring is an individual choice based on preference and style.