Guest Post by Rob Jones – Laminate Flooring

Appearances count when you’re looking to market your home for sale.  And, so does budget.  Both are particularly true in this economy.  But, upgrading the look and functional value of your space, and saving money while doing it is not necessarily an impossibility.

With this in mind, let’s take a look at laminate flooring.

Laminate floors are a manufactured product that are designed to look just like a natural surface, most popularly a real hardwood floor.  As the technology develops, laminate flooring is increasingly convincing to the point where only a trained eye can tell the difference between a real wood surface and a laminate surface. So, you’re getting that luxurious  look of real wood flooring for less money and with fewer factors to consider when it comes to  installation.

The great thing about laminate floors is that they are designed, and thoroughly tested for durability with the consumer in mind.  When you invest in an AC3 rated laminate for instance, you’re assured that your laminate flooring is internationally tested for general use in a residence, warrantied to last for decades, not just for a year or two.  You’re not getting a ‘this will do for now’ floor.  And once again, you’re generally paying less than you would if you installed a real wood floor.

Another great thing about laminates  is the expanding range of choices you’ve got at your disposal.  This is not just about colors and grain patterns, although these are significant too.  It’s also about function, with varying thicknesses and locking systems that make even the act of walking on a laminate floor to be virtually indistinguishable from walking on a solid wood floor. Getting a 10mm to 14mm thick floor delivers this effect pretty well.

While walking prospective buyers around your home, these subtleties count; the visual appeal, and the feel of your floor underfoot can be extremely effective selling assets.  And laminate flooring allows you to do this inexpensively, when compared to many other choices in a floor covering.

Choosing laminates to upgrade your property for resale is a sound investment.  The potential to impress prospective buyers, and generally add visual, and practical value to any property is exponentially increased.

***

Rob Jones is a blogger, and social media marketer at BuildDirect, an online building materials company in Vancouver.  He blogs about building materials and about green building.  Sometimes, he blogs about music, too!