So Many Floors, So Many Choices

A friend of mine called the other day asking for advice on what flooring material to put in his house. He has a 1924 two-story bungalow, but his second floor, despite having windowed dormers on three sides, has always been a storage attic with a pull-down set of stairs.

If he sacrifices a first floor closet, he can install a permanent set of stairs leading up to the attic, and figures there is enough height down the middle of the room to make it function as either an office or kid's playroom. The downstairs has oak floors original to the house, so he wants to carry that look into the second floor. His question, then, was not unexpected: which type of flooring should he choose?

Here are some of his options, with my observations:

Laminate Flooring - This is the current rage, popularized by television shows and their instant make-overs. Thin, lightweight, easy to install and less expensive than the alternatives, laminate flooring seems like the obvious answer -- just like thin, lightweight, easy to install paneling was in the 1960s. And look what that left us a few years later….

Laminate is a new word for "veneer," a thin layer of wood (or in some extreme cases just a picture of wood imprinted on the surface) glued to particleboard. Call it laminate or call it veneer, the downside is still the same: if you scratch or gouge it, it cannot be repaired. If (make the 'when') the finish wears out, it cannot be refinished. If it gets wet or experiences wide swings in temperature and humidity, it will warp or buckle faster than traditional wood flooring.

In short, you get what you pay for.

Pre-finished Flooring - This is real wood that comes from the factory with a stain and finish already applied. To distinguish pre-finished flooring from laminate flooring, simply look at the back. Real wood will have the same grain pattern on the back as you see on the front.

The advantage to pre-finished flooring is that you do not have to stain and finish it, hence it takes less time from start to finish. It is more expensive than laminate flooring and does take longer to install, but it is going to look better and last longer. The downside (and there always is one) is that you are limited in colors and finishes to what the manufacturer offers. (pictured, top)

Unfinished Flooring - This is the traditional form of flooring: solid, real wood with tongue-and-groove edging that requires a stain and finish after application. Depending on the type and width of wood you select, it should be less expensive than pre-finished flooring, but you have to add to that the cost of the stain and polyurethane finish.

The advantage to unfinished flooring is that you get to select the precise color of stain you prefer and the sheen (satin, semi-gloss or gloss) you want in the finish. The disadvantage is obvious: it takes longer for the stain and finish to dry and, unless you go water-based, you do have to ventilate the oil-based fumes. (pictured, bottom)

I hope this helps!

- Bruce Johnson