7 Reasons Hardwood Floors Increase Home Value Compared to Vinyl and Laminate

There are a lot of factors in the value of the home. How big is it? Does it have a fireplace? Is it well maintained? Does it have a sizable backyard for the kids and pets to play in? All of these make a big difference in the value of a home.

And, one of the most important factors is right underneath your feet: hardwood flooring. Just think about it. Natural hardwood floors provide warmth, age, uniqueness, and style to all the central living spaces in your house. They draw attention from any potential homebuyer. Plus, for those who just want to add a piece of luxury to the home, hardwood flooring is where it’s at in home renovations!

So why don’t people switch to hardwood floors?
Unfortunately, most homeowners hesitate when it comes to the price tag. And when there are cheaper flooring options like vinyl and laminate out there that can mimic the aesthetic of hardwood flooring without the price, why make the investment?

But remember, it’s an INVESTMENT that’ll do wonders for increasing your home’s total value when you decide to sell. Just to prove it, here are 7 reasons hardwood floors increase home value when you’re renovating or selling your home!

7 Solid Reasons to Install Hardwood Floors

 

1. Nothing Compares to Natural Hardwood!
Technology has come a long way, but there’s nothing like natural aesthetics. Hardwood floors come from the trees of the earth. The beauty of the wood helps us stay in touch with the natural world. Every plank is one-of-a-kind, rich in beauty, and full of life.

On the other hand, vinyl and laminate flooring are man-made, artificially produced from synthetic materials like compressed petroleum and fiberboard. They’re made to mimic the look and feel of hardwood, but they can’t replace what we know and love from Mother Earth herself.

2. Every Hardwood Floor is Unique in Design & Texture
Another beauty of hardwood flooring comes from the unique texture and design. There are so many species of trees available for hardwood flooring! You can choose the plank width, pattern, texture, stain color, and more—so you have endless options when it comes to the looks, the price point, and the durability of your floors.

Vinyl and laminate also come in a variety of designs to compete with popular hardwood varieties. However, it is just an image or design. It may be comparable from a distance, but most people can distinguish between the real thing and a fake in a home.

3. Hardwood Floors Can Last Several Generations
Just like in nature, hardwood can last for several generations. Some homes from as far back as the 1800s still have glorious hardwood floorings that have only become more beautiful with age. And with proper maintenance and refurbishing, most hardwood floors can last a hundred or so years before needing to be replaced.

When you compare that to vinyl and laminate flooring, there’s just no contest. These cheaper alternatives can only last 5-10 years before needing to be replaced. They’re not made to sustain years of use and abuse. So, you’ll be paying more over the long haul if you expect to keep the home for many years to come.

4. Hardwoods Can Resist Damage and Maintain High Durability
This will ultimately depend on what species of wood you decide to use for your home. Certain woods like oak, maple and cherry are preferred because they are more impact resistant. But if you decide to go with a more exotic variety, then you may have to sacrifice durability for appearance. But in any case, you can refinish your floors to get them as good as new.

Vinyl and laminate often have a protective coating to prevent the surface from getting scuffed and scratched like hardwood. However, the coating isn’t as impact resistant. So once that coating is breached from a hard fall or scrape, you can’t undo the damage.

5. Home Renovations are Easy with Hardwoods
The most rewarding benefit of including hardwood floor to the interior design of your home is how easy it is to refurbish and refinish it. Hardwood flooring keeps its aesthetic even after you sand it down and add a new finish to it. So, even if it gets scuffed and scratched over the years, you can always repair it.

You can’t achieve the same effect with vinyl or laminate. Their hardwood design stays at the surface level. So once that becomes damaged beyond repair, it’s going to cost you a whole new floor to fix.

6. Stay Environmentally Friendly with Hardwood Floor Installation
Hardwood floors come from a reusable material—trees! Wood is biodegradable and won’t harm the environment if you discard it. It is also non-toxic and won’t off-gas any harmful chemicals into your home. Modern manufacturers produce wood in a sustainable, eco-friendly way.

The opposite can be said for vinyl and laminate flooring. Because they come from synthetic building materials, they don’t break down naturally as waste. They will fill up landfills for centuries to come. And worst of all, they can even give off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can harm family, pets and the environment!

7. Guests and Future Home Buyers Can Tell the Difference!
And finally, no matter how much you try to replicate the look and feel of hardwood flooring, people will always tell the difference. Future homebuyers will always be willing to pay more for all-natural wood floors. It has so much more value attached to it both aesthetically and monetarily.

Vinyl and laminate may look great overall, and they do have their own benefits. However, they do next to nothing to increase the value of your home. In fact, they might even lower its net worth on the market!

Get New or Refinish your Hardwood Flooring
Looking for hardwood floor installation or refinishing? If you need an experienced, reliable crew in the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver area, Evergreen Hardwood Floors is here to help.

Get ahold of our contractors today at (604) 557-6738. Plus, you can follow our blog to learn other tips and tricks for your next home renovations project!