Most people who are remodeling their floors are often going from carpet to hardwood or the other way around. But did you know there are many different flooring choices than the two obvious ones? The flooring sector has evolved so much that there are many cheaper flooring options that mimic expensive flooring. Below are a few of the numerous options.

Solid & Engineered Hardwood Flooring vs Laminate Wood Flooring
First, we need to distinguish the big differences between real and engineered hardwood. Natural hard wood floors are created from a solid piece of wood. The panels are commonly thick, come sliced into boards or strips of wood, pre-finished or unfinished, and the wood can often be sanded down multiple times throughout the lifetime of its use. Natural hard wood floors are good in that it lasts a long time, and it could potentially improve the entire value of your home. Engineered hardwood contains the actual wood you want laid down although the specific category of wood isn't true throughout the entire plank. Engineered flooring only incorporates a thin layer of the wood surface you're wishing to install, so you can only refinish engineered flooring just once throughout it's lifetime. Engineered hardwood is much more versatile than solid hardwood because you can lay it down right over concrete, you can use it with radiant heating systems, and you're able to install it at or below ground level. No matter which type of wood flooring you obtain, don't forget that both styles of hardwood are prone to substantial moisture and water damage, this means that you may want to ensure that it stays out from the bathroom or kitchen. Of all of the flooring options that are available, hardwood is typically the highest priced. Plus, installation is expensive too simply because you might have to hire a professional to install them properly.
Laminate flooring doesn't include real wood at all like engineered hardwood does. Laminate flooring actually uses a graphic of the texture you like and laminates that picture to a high-density fiberboard. The fiberboard is then put in between two layers of extremely durable plastic resulting in a strong floor tile. Because of this durability, laminate flooring is very immune to stains, dents, are simple to clean, and won't fade from constant sunlight. However, laminates cannot be refinished if the surface gets damaged, and just like real wood flooring an excessive amount of moisture will damage the topmost layer. Laminate floors can be much cheaper to install since you'll be able to easily install them yourself instead of hiring outside help.

Porcelain vs Ceramic
Porcelain and ceramic clays actually originate from the same family of €ceramics.€ However, there are numerous differences that eventually translate to the final price tag. To begin, the coloration of porcelain runs throughout the entire tile. Ceramic tiles, on the flip side, have got the color baked on top of the tile. Second, porcelain is far more strong and resistant than ceramics making it ideal for all uses whether it's outdoors or in. Ceramic is far more appropriate for indoor usage as it can certainly crack outdoors the first instance of winter. Porcelain clays are denser and much less porous than ceramic clays making it harder and much more resistant to moisture. Since porcelain tile is actually porcelain through the entire surface, it is better to use for high traffic areas as chips may be hard to notice. If you happen to chip a ceramic tile, you will realize that the surface underneath is really a different color as opposed to the top. However, because ceramic is softer and much more porous, ceramic tiles are great for the DIY person as they can cut the tiles without professional help. Since porcelain is harder, you will need a professional with the right equipment to help you cut these tiles. Overall, ceramic is the cheaper solution to porcelain. As long as you maintain ceramic tiles and pray no one chips them, nobody can notice the difference.

Watch out for part 2 on this series.