Hardwood vs. vinyl flooring: pros & cons
Believe it or not there are similarities between vinyl and hardwood, actually who am I kidding the similarities are skin deep. In fact most people can’t tell the difference between hardwood and vinyl because the technology used to create vinyl wood flooring has improved to the point that it can print out any wood pattern imaginable. Since the look is extremely difficult to distinguish between the two, choice really comes down to the features and problems you want to avoid. Usually when people are trying to pick out flooring they compare laminate to hardwood, or vinyl to hardwood, but for some reason people don’t usually compare hardwood to vinyl. So if you’re sitting on the fence trying to figure out which way to go with your floor remodel than you’ll want to read out guide to hardwood vs vinyl.
Hardwood Pros
One of the nicest things about Hardwood is it adds value to your home. In my book if you can sell your house for more at the end of the day, than your remodel is really an investment. So sometimes spending the extra money now doesn’t really matter because the hardwood flooring will pay for itself and put a little extra in your pocket. But if you’re not planning on selling your home you’ll be happy to know that there are other benefits to hardwood.
One nice benefit to hardwood is you might be able to lower your heating costs. Hardwood is actually warmer on your feet and can help keep the house more comfortable on a cold winter night. The reason hardwood’s warmth is worth noting is because it is so much thicker than vinyl, and doesn’t lose the heat your vents are pumping out.
Hardwood Cons
Did we mention hardwood is expensive! Yeah get ready to open the wallet if you’re thinking of laying down the wood. Most hardwood flooring choices will be more expensive than all other flooring options on the market. If you’re lucky and you can find a good price at a discount flooring and at least spend less than stone flooring tiles.
Installing hardwood is also more difficult and often more expensive. Plus, when you finally get the hardwood situated you’ll have to be prepared for how susceptible to damage it is. Wood breaks, splinters and your high heels can put a dent into the floor if you’re not careful. Though you can refinish and try to repair the floor usually the damage is permanent.
Vinyl Pros
Prepare to save money upfront because vinyl is one of the best flooring options on your wallet. Not only is the vinyl flooring itself cheaper, but installing vinyl is easier and often the perfect job for those do-it-yourself-ers out there. So if initial costs are a big concern of yours moving forward with your remodeling project than vinyl might be a great choice moving forward.
Vinyl is also way easier to clean than hardwood. You have more cleaning options such as the ability to use cleaning chemicals and mopping up spills on vinyl. Plus, vinyl is 100% waterproof because the technique used to lock the flooring panels together remove all crevices in which water can slip into. This can be a big problem on hardwood especially if it starts to build up mold and mildew. So what does this waterproofing really do for your floors? It means all those snow covered boots, rain soaked coats, muddy puppy paws aren’t going to threaten your floors the way they would with hardwood.
Vinyl Cons
There is some issues you’ll have to be prepared for with vinyl flooring though. For one you’ll know when it’s winter because the floor will be noticeably colder, so invest in some slippers while you’re at it. But the biggest downside to vinyl is your remodeling won’t really be an investment in your home. Vinyl wood flooring might look similar to hardwood, but it definitely doesn’t bring in the same value. If you’re thinking of selling your home soon remodeling with vinyl won’t excite home-buyers in the same way when you mention the words, “hardwood floors.” Plus, if you damage a plank you’ll have to replace the whole panel, meaning you can’t sand out the dent or refinish the floor.
There is a lot to consider moving forward in your remodeling project, so we hope our quick pros and cons guide helps put you on the right path. Check out Atlanta Flooring Design Center if you’re interested in learning more about flooring. They’ve been in the business since 1985 and do everything from residential to commercial, carpet to tile, and are well trusted in the Atlanta metro area.
