I am looking for a good quality wood floor that, if its not real wood, it atleast looks like real hardwood. Like all home owners, I would like a flooring that looks great, is durable, easy to clean, and doesn't sound like your walking on plastic when wearing heels. Also important to note; 1) I own a large Husky 2) my home is on a concrete slab 3) I would like to maximize resale of my home. All or any advice is appreciated.... especially if you know of particular brands of good quality. Thank you!
At Lowes I saw ceramic tile, that looked exactly like hardwood flooring. Longevity-wise, on concrete, this would be your best bet (especially with the dog). But...tile can be cold and unforgiving under your feet. So that leaves hardwood, or laminate. Hardwood properly finished will have a better re-sale value, and look/sound nicer than the laminate any day. The laminate sounds cheap, and IMO looks cheap. On the plus side it is easy to install, but it can get scratched by the dogs nails, and then can't be sanded and refinished like the hardwood floor can.
You can get the same look as hardwood, but with a 20 year wear guarantee (laminate - Quick step), you don't get that with hardwood. You can buy a laminate that imitates real wood to a very high standard, and even has the grain. Hardwood dents and scratches very easily, is more expensive to buy, have installed and maintain. Get a good quality laminate and leave it be, it will look the same when you come to sell your home. If you did'nt have the dog, had wood foundations and you had lots of money I'd say buy the engineered wood because it looks a tad better than laminate, but in your case I'd say invest in the durability, value for money and performance that laminate has to offer.
I put in my house a 5/16 hardwood made by Bruce Hardwood. It is a pre-finished product. It goes down really quick. not as fast as Laminate. I have a Retriever and there are some scratches. The varnish isn't as durable as what i expected. I refinished another room that the floor is 46 years old and applied a high-gloss finish. The high gloss has more durability than a gloss. there are no dog scratches on the high gloss. The hardwood can be replaced and or repaired a lot easier than laminate. I have installed both types, and have repaired both types. I will refinish the 5/16 this fall after 5 years of 2 kids and the dog.
Use engineered harwoord, definitely. Laminate wood has a very cheap look, it may be durable but it is not usually appealing to potential buyers. Real but engineered wood is a bit more expensive, but has many advantages to it. God quality wood s just as durable. If it wears out, it ca be scouted and repolished. Most importantly, it definitely looks (and sounds!) much better, as it doesn't have this plastic glow of laminated wood.
Engineered hardwood is by far better than laminate. It is stronger and more durable. It is a better quality and will last longer and have a better resale value. Each wood has a hardness value - the harder the better b/c it will less likely to dent.
