Engineered laminate flooring or vinyl. It’s a question we often get asked by clients. There are a few pros and cons for both siders so in this weeks publication ill be examing the difference between the two.
Lets start with hardwood floors, and whats known as a ‘floating floor’, alongside glue down timber flooring, these come in varing degrees of qulaity, with varing degrees of price.
Floating floors. I would always recommend away from the cheaper option of clip together ‘floating floors’ for a couple simple reasons; the veneer on the boards are easily cracked, in fact most of the jobs I have completed in the past have had brand new boards cracked and chipped while still in the manufacturers boxes. The quality of the machining in the cheaper range can also result with your floor ‘pulling apart’ after installation, this is caused by the clip lock system breaking over time with high foot traffic and the individual boards are left with large gaps in between them. Causing a raft of potential new problems. A mid range product use a better quality clip system while also maintaining a solid top veneer ensuring a longer life under foot.
Things to consider when opting for a glue down floor vs a floating floor will be, the price will likely be considerably higher going for a glue down floor rather than floating. The possibility in having to pay more for the prep work for a glue down floor. These types of floors require a flatter, more level finish than traditional floating floors, so a longer prep time will be required along with a longer installation time frame. Another consideration is if one board every gets scratched, it proves more difficult to replace as the whole floor is laid with the clip system.
Vinyl plank and sheet vinyl.
Vinyl plank is a versatile product that is easily installed, the disparity in price between vinyl planks usually represents the quality of the pattern. These are glued down on a prepared substrate. I personally like this product for its ease of installation, the longevity of the product, its also a quickly and easily replaceable product should any of the planks get damaged over time. One consideration when purchasing a glue for these products is that if there is going to be areas of direct sunlight on the floor, being sure to use a sunlight rated glue in those areas is critical as the expansion and contraction of the flooring can open small gaps thereafter affecting your waterproof and glue membrane.
Sheet vinyl is a long tested product that holds its own as a flooring solution. It can be supplied in varying designs, have safety features like anti-slip technology built into it. And it has a long life expectancy.