Hardwood floors continues to be one of the most requested features buyers love. Engineered hardwood gives you the same natural look with greater stability across the seasons. For a smaller budget, luxury vinyl plank can provide a comparable modern look for less.
If you share your home with pets and kids, you already know how quickly floors can get damaged. Pet nails, toy cars and blocks, accidents and muddy boots will wear down a poorly chosen floor in a few months. Fortunately: modern floor materials are built to stand up to real life.
Installation is also more versatile. Based on the product, planks can be installed as a floating floor, glued down or nailed. That flexibility helps make it a top choice for contractors and DIYers alike.
Quality laminate is also a great option. The protective top layer is tough against scuffs and scratches, often more than other floors. Choose a laminate with an AC4 or AC5 rating as well as good moisture protection for busy homes.
Luxury vinyl have become a favourite for kitchens and bathrooms. Water-resistant cores guarantee that standing water will not ruin the planks when wiped up quickly. Vinyl is also warmer underfoot than tile, something a big bonus on cold Canadian mornings.
Kitchens and washrooms are the busiest rooms in a household. They deal with splashes, humidity, falling objects and daily cleaning. The floor you install for these rooms needs to be water-resistant, tough and simple to maintain without sacrificing style.
Can you use laminate in a kitchen or bathroom? Water-resistant laminate can be a good fit for kitchens, provided that moisture is dealt with quickly. Wood may also work in kitchens with caution, however in bathrooms with a shower or tub, tile and vinyl remain the better options.
De-icing salt can leave a hazy residue that will damage the protective layer of most floors. Remove residue as soon as possible with a damp microfibre mop together with a pH-neutral cleaner. Stay away from soaking the floor on wood-based floors.
Before buying, check the thickness of the top layer. A heavier wear layer lets you refinish the floor later, adding to the life of your floor. Remember to keep indoor humidity at a steady level for best results.
What you get is simply flooring with the look identical to solid hardwood but performs better through the seasons. Since it is more stable, engineered wood is often suitable in places where solid wood is not recommended, including basements or over concrete slabs.
What about hardwood? Yes, though make careful choices. Harder species such as hickory, maple and oak resist dents better, while matte finishes and distressed or hand-scraped textures disguise everyday wear far better than glossy floors.
Vinyl plank flooring is usually the number one pick for busy homes. It’s water-resistant, so pet accidents become easy to clean up. A strong wear layer will help reduce scuffs, and the cushioned feel is less noisy for running feet and paws.
This is where engineered hardwood stands out. Rather than being made from one solid board, engineered wood is built from multiple layers: a real hardwood top layer on top of a plywood or HDF core. This layered structure reduces seasonal movement.
Its first role is sound reduction. Floors that are not glued down often sound noisy if installed directly on the subfloor. The right underlay reduces that hollow sound, something that is especially important in apartments and condos in which strata rules often require a minimum IIC or STC rating.
Porcelain tile remain a timeless solution. It is virtually waterproof, long-lasting and comes in a huge variety of designs, from wood-look planks and marble and stone looks. Choose tiles with good slip resistance for safety, then consider heated floors for tw.8FUN.Net winter comfort.
When people shop for flooring, most of the attention goes to colour, style and price. However what you put under the floor matters just as much. The right underlayment improves how the floor feels, sound and protection against moisture, and it helps your flooring perform better.
Canadian homes experience dramatic humidity changes from season to season. During winter, furnaces pull moisture from the air; during summer, humidity rise again. For natural wood, that constant movement can cause cracks, crowning and squeaks.
Flooring is one of the first things buyers notice. Worn carpet, damaged wood floors or mismatched flooring create a signal suggesting that the property needs work. On the other hand, beautiful updated floors can make a home look move-in ready, which may help attract more buyers.
The right underlay can also compensates for slight unevenness in the subfloor while adds some cushioning and warmth. Note, however, it is not a substitute for levelling the subfloor: big height differences need to be levelled beforehand.
Indoor humidity is also critical. In winter, the air in your home gets very dry, leading to natural wood to shrink and cracks to appear. A humidifier to maintain humidity in a moderate range benefits your wood floors as well as your health.