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If you live with children or pets, you’re probably well aware that your home needs to be able to endure a certain amount of wear and tear. And when it comes to areas that suffer the most from the impact of busy family life, floors are usually top of the list.
The right choice of material can make all the difference to the durability of your home flooring, and also how easy it is to take care of.
In busy areas of your home, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by avoiding flooring that harbours dirt, scratches easily, or needs a lot of maintenance. Engineered wood flooring solutions are a great option here.
Choosing wood flooring for a busy family home
Let’s take a look at the different options you need to consider when selecting the best type of wood flooring for your home.
Engineered hardwood floors
Wooden floors have existed for centuries, and for good reason. Certain types of wood (such as oak) are incredibly durable, and wooden flooring is a great way to add natural beauty and warmth to your home.
There’s lots of choice when it comes to the finish of wood flooring, with a wide variety of tones, grains and colours available. No two sections are ever alike, which means your floor will be entirely unique and look very natural.
If you love the idea of wood flooring for your family home, it’s definitely a good idea to avoid the solid wood option. Solid wood floors are quite high maintenance, and they’re also at the top end of the scale when it come to cost. A much more practical alternative is engineered wood flooring.
Engineered wood flooring has a top layer of solid hardwood, and a core of plywood layers. This means it looks like the real thing, but it’s also strong and durable.
Engineered wooden flooring is an ideal solution when dealing with pets, young children and high traffic areas. Maintenance is simple, and these floors are easier to keep clean.
Vinyl flooring solutions
Vinyl flooring is an increasingly popular option for busy homes. This material is lightweight, durable, incredibly strong, and easy to install. It’s also a very low maintenance and cost-effective flooring choice.
When it comes to the range of finishes, the selection of vinyl from Quick Step offers a huge amount of choice. You can have pretty much any colour, and vinyl is also available in patterns that mimic natural materials such as stone and wood.
Laminate flooring
As the name suggests, laminate flooring is made up of layers which are sandwiched together and laminated. There’s a wide range of finishes available, and the level of detail means it’s hard to tell the difference between laminate flooring and real wood.
Laminate flooring is thicker than vinyl, and as such it can give a more luxurious feel and a longer lifespan.
Co-ordinating your wood flooring with your interior style
Once you’ve decided which type of wood flooring to go for, the next step is to choose a finish that will complement your room’s style and colour scheme.
Think carefully about the tone of the wood (lighter versus darker), as well as the grain (obvious versus subtle). It’s a good idea to request a few samples, so that you can see how each one looks in the room before making a final decision.
Another tip is to consider the orientation of the planks themselves. Most experts agree that the planks should be laid out in a direction that is parallel to the length of the room. This approach helps to create a sense of space, and a balanced look which mimics real floorboards.
Busy family homes come with their own set of flooring demands, but the types of wood flooring we’ve covered here are all durable and cost-effective solutions. Which one would be perfect for your home?
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