Using Solid Or Composite Flooring In Your Kitchen
There are many different ways to give your kitchen floor the look of natural hardwood. While there are many synthetic materials with fake wooden prints, such as vinyl and linoleum, these never look as good as the real thing. Luckily, there are different types of hardwood products that are cheaper than solid hardwood and ideal for kitchen floors. This article discusses the difference between a composite floor with a hardwood top layer and a solid (one that is entirely made out of hardwood) floor.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood planks are obviously more expensive because they consist of more hardwood. Many people prefer them because they feel more solid under feet. They weigh more and generally cost a little more to install because they are less flexible. This means the installers need to do a lot more prep work to make the subfloor perfectly flat.
Composite Hardwood
Layered, composite hardwood floors are made out of thin layers of composite wood that are glued together with flexible epoxy. Only the top layer is made out of the more costly hardwood. Not only does this make the flooring more affordable, it also makes it lighter and more flexible.
Drawbacks and Advantages
One drawback of lightweight composite flooring is the fact that you cannot refinish them. To refinish hardwood, you need to sand off the top layer of stain of wood to remove the stain. If you do this on a composite floor, you will sand right through the first layer of hardwood and down to the composite layers underneath. On the other hand, if you have a solid hardwood floor, you can actually refinish it several times. Every time you sand down your floor, you will be reducing the height of the plank. Choosing a solid hardwood product is a great choice if you plan on living in your home for many years and think that you might want to change your stain color at some point.
Composite hardwood is the clear choice if you are installing it in an older kitchen where the floor is not perfectly flat. Since the composite is more flexible, it is easier to install if the subfloor is not level or has adhesive remnants from the previous floor.
No matter which product you choose, you can add style to your kitchen by installing hardwood. Both products will last a long time, so just choose whatever fits best into your budget and matches your kitchen style. For more advice on how to best remodel your kitchen, contact a company like Woodharbor Kitchen & Bath.