Wood-Look Vinyl Flooring has come a Long Way
When it comes to choosing a flooring type that provides a natural, warm and inviting look to any room, hardwood flooring was the material of choice among design professionals and homeowners. The wide range of species and color options available made wood floors an ideal choice for family rooms, living rooms and dens. However, as new materials and production techniques became available a new type of wood flooring has emerged. Wood look vinyl flooring has gained popularity due to its advantages over traditional ceramic tile and hardwood flooring.
Comparing the cost of the two products reveals that wood look vinyl flooring is considerably less expensive than hardwood flooring. There are different grades of both hardwood and vinyl wood flooring so comparing the cost of the two products isn’t always apples to apples. But generally speaking, vinyl wood floors can save a homeowner between $2 and $4 a square foot on average over hardwood floors. If you decide to hire a contractor then the labor costs for installing a vinyl wood floor are also less than that for installing hardwood flooring. Since installing a vinyl floor requires very little experience, a confident homeowner can eliminate the cost of a contractor and install the floor themselves.
Wood look vinyl flooring is offered in walnut, bamboo, oak, maple, and cherry among other wood species. Advanced embossing methods have led to the development of extremely realistic looking and feeling vinyl wood flooring. These new methods capture both the unique grain and knot patterns of these exotic woods. Not only do these floors have the look of real wood, they also feel like wood to the touch. Now homeowners don’t have to sacrifice design options when selecting a wood floor manufactured with vinyl materials.
Where any type of vinyl flooring exceeds expectations is in its ability to be installed with very little tools or a high degree of skill. This flooring is designed to be very user-friendly for homeowners who decide to install it themselves. Each individual piece has an interlocking seam along the leading edges. The seams lock the panel into place with the previously installed panel and the process is repeated. There are specialized flooring kits that provide customized tools designed specifically for installing vinyl flooring. The kits can be found at your local flooring supply store.
As with any product there are always disadvantages as well as advantages to consider before making your selection. Although companies have come a long way in making realistic wood look vinyl floors, for some people, there is just no substitute for the real thing. Vinyl wood flooring is not very water resistant and will damage easily in heavy flooding which happens to be another one of its drawbacks. It’s this reason alone that when these floors are installed in basements, they are done so with a degree of risk. A vinyl wood floor in a flooded basement cannot be repaired and will have to be replaced.
Once you’ve installed a vinyl wood floor maintaining it couldn’t be any easier. These floors can be cleaned with regular mopping and very little else. Another great thing about these floors is that they’re also highly stain resistant. Before leaving the factory the flooring receives an application of a polyurethane-like material that helps protect the floor against damage. The coating also helps keep the floor clean by preventing dirt from making its way into the grain, where it’s hard to remove.
When strolling the aisles of the home improvement retailers its clearly evident that these floors offer numerous styles. Wood look vinyl flooring certainly has come a long way since its introduction into the residential and commercial building markets. But one thing is for certain. With manufacturers striving to produce wood looking vinyl floors that look and feel like the real thing; wood look vinyl flooring will be here for many years to come.
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Tagged With Vinyl Flooring