Hardwood flooring can be expensive and difficult to maintain, but there are plenty of good alternatives to wood flooring. You might not want to spend a lot of money on your flooring, or you might be worried about it getting damaged easily. Or, you might need to replace dull, scratched wooden floorboards. Luckily, there are a lot of different options available today instead of hardwood flooring.
This article tells you about some of the best alternatives to wood flooring. But first, we talk through why you may or may not want wood flooring in your house.
Pros And Cons Of Hardwood Flooring – Why Go For A Wood Floor Alternative?
Hardwood flooring can look beautiful but there are plenty of reasons you might not want it. One advantage is that you can sand hardwood down and stain it in whatever finish you like to match your decor. Wood is durable, meaning it can last decades if looked after. They also add value to a home. Hardwood is considered more desirable than carpet or a wood floor alternative. However, it’s not all good news.
Compared to other options, hardwood floors are extremely expensive. Installing wood flooring is a big job, and you usually need to pay for labor to do it. Wood can dent, scratch, and scuff easily, so it can be costly to maintain the clean finish of new hardwood floors. Refinishing is sometimes needed, which is also expensive. So, if you don’t like the idea of the expense and maintenance, what can you do? Find an alternative, of course!
Alternatives To Wood Flooring
There are plenty of options on the market instead of hardwood flooring which won’t break the bank. Maybe you’ve opted for new expensive kitchen worktops but don’t want to splash out on flooring? There are plenty of good ways to get a great-looking floor without using hardwood. Below, I explain to you just a few of these.
Linoleum
Linoelum is a very common, well-loved alternative to wood flooring. These days, it can be a lot more stylish and classy than what most people think of when they think of linoleum. It is inexpensive, and can come in a lot of different designs and colors. It can even be made to look like wood. It’s soft and easy to clean as well as easily replacable if damaged. Most people can install linoelum themselves, saving on installation costs. It works well in most rooms.
Laminate
Next up, laminate is another good wood floor alternative. It is similar to linoleum, but more thick and durable. It is strong and can be very resistant to staining and denting. We recommend using laminate in a space that is used a lot. This could be your kitchen or bathroom, for instance.
Vinyl
Vinyl is an up-and-coming alternative to wood flooring. It is a bit more sturdy than linoleum but not as thick and heavy as laminate. Vinyl planks in wood designs mimick wood flooring, and can look just as good. It does scratch more easily than other alternatives, and comes in less colors as it’s relatively new, but it’s long-lasting and easy to clean.
Bamboo – A Natural Wood Floor Alternative
Finally, maybe you desperately want wood floor but still don’t want to splash the cash on hardwood? Bamboo is another new alternative with similar results without the big price tag. It is a renewable resource as it grows very quickly, making it a lot more environmentally friendly than hardwood which takes years to grow. It looks sleek and sophisticated, and can look beautiful in any room.
Conclusion
So, there you have it: there are some really affordable, stylish, and durable alternatives to wood flooring if you know where to look. Especially if you’re renovating your kitchen, bathroom, or bedrooms and need somewhere to cut costs, wood floor alternatives are a great place to start.
