Wood Flooring vs Laminate Flooring
Should I use Timber Flooring or Laminate Flooring?
When deciding on a hardwearing flooring choice for your renovation or new home, there are plenty of options on the market. Often, cost becomes a factor in the decision, so which is the best choice – timber flooring or laminate? Both engineered timber flooring and laminates are very durable, hardwearing options for a busy family home, but there are key differences.
A laminate is constructed on an HDF core, with a high-resolution image of wood on top to simulate real timber. VidaSpaces’ engineered timber comes in a variety of construction techniques, with the common three being a lamella pressed onto a cross-laminated ply core, a lamella on a three-layer core, or a real timber veneer on an HDF core.
When researching the cost of a flooring product, it is important to consider the lifespan. You may spend half the price on the initial product, for it to only last a quarter of the time – so are you really saving money? For a little more initial outlay, you can invest in a product that is durable, easy to clean, with enough timber on the top wear layer to sand back.
VidaSpaces’ PurePlank range is a great option for home renovations and new builds. Finished with a commercial grade lacquer, all products in this range are very low maintenance, and extremely durable. With a 2.5mm European Oak wear layer, you have the ability to sand 2 – 3 times over the span of its life, rejuvenating the floor and giving it a new life over and over.
With 11 different styles and colours, you can really get creative with your design. A variety of grades of timber, from classic with minimal knots, to rustic with a lot of character and knots. Bevels, no bevels, the choice is yours! For the budget conscious, a thicker oak wear layer may not be a viable option, however our Parky veneer flooring range will tick all the boxes.
Parky is constructed of a real European Oak veneer, on an HDF core. It is finished with 7 layers of UV cured lacquer, creating the most scratch resistant surface available on a real wood floor.
Parky is real timber, so each plank will have unique grain and characteristics, whereas a laminate lacks visual authenticity due to repeats of pattern across planks. Real timber also creates a warm environment, with a soft underfoot feel, which is impossible to replicate in imitation products. With a commercial grade lacquer finish, it is just as easy to clean and maintain as a laminate flooring. With Aqua-Seal painted on each join, and a moisture-resistant HDF core, Parky is our most water-resistant flooring and is proven to be 12 hours waterproof, so you can rest assured this is a great product for all living areas of the home, including the kitchen.
Where laminate has on average a 10 – 20-year lifespan, Parky carries a limited lifetime residential warranty. Choosing a Parky veneer flooring will give you double the life for the same price.
Available in a range of 2 widths, across 5 colour ways, you’ll be sure to find a colour and style to suit your home. It has been proven that the feelings of natural warmth and comfort of wood in the home can lower blood pressure and heart rates, reduce stress and anxiety, and has been shown to improve indoor air quality.
It has a positive physiological and psychological benefits that mimic the effect of spending time outside in nature. Living with real timber will improve your health and wellbeing.