Stylish wood flooring has so much versatility and so many customisable options; it’s easy to understand why it’s the most desirable choice of flooring. Its rustic, elegant look can give any room a unique style and heaps of character; plus it has the added bonus of easy cleaning! Though it has plenty of advantages, it’s also expensive!
Demand for wood flooring means that plenty of affordable solutions have emerged, giving homeowners all the benefits of real wood flooring without the hefty price tag! You can learn more about choosing the right type of flooring for your home – https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/wood-flooring/article/how-to-buy-wood-flooring/types-of-wood-flooring. Here are four affordable alternatives to real wood flooring.
Wood tile flooring
This style has risen in popularity over the years due to its durability, sustainability and lower price. It looks like wood, but it’s actually made from porcelain or ceramic tiles, making it much more eco-friendly and cheaper than some of the other options. It’s also easier to clean and is ideal for kitchens, bathrooms or any room that gets humid because real wood can warp with humidity.
Vinyl wood flooring
Vinyl flooring is made from 100% plastic and is the most popular, cost effective alternative available. This synthetic material can often replicate the look of natural wood, but it does depend on the quality of the vinyl. It is perfect for bathrooms, wet rooms and laundry rooms due to its extremely water-resistant qualities.
Laminate wood flooring
Laminate consists of several layers of wooden based particleboard topped with a sealed photographic layer and shaped into tongue and groove jointed boards. It’s installed in a similar way to wood flooring and is incredibly durable – tougher than hardwood! Unfortunately it’s also thinner – if laminate wood flooring gets damaged it can’t be sanded down like real wood. It has the added bonus of coming in a huge variety of styles; you can see some stunning options at https://irwintiles.ie/index.php/wooden-flooring/laminate-flooring.html.
Engineered wood flooring
This type of flooring is similar in design to laminate flooring with its multiple layers. It’s usually made of plywood and instead of having a photographic layer on top it has a narrow slice of real wood that’s been sealed. Unlike laminate, engineered wood flooring can be sanded if it sustains damage but only once or twice. It doesn’t last as long as real wood but still requires the same amount of care.
