When it comes to flooring, it’s comfort vs. cost

Watch any episode of HGTV’s House Hunters and it’s clear that hardwood floors provide the ‘wow’ factor for those in pursuit of a new home.

Local flooring salespeople agree, saying that hardwood floors, or their look-a-like laminates, are top sellers.

Real hardwood floors are still big in newly constructed homes, said Vicki Crook, office manager at Valley Carpet in Bay City.

But homeowners that are remodeling and upgrading floors prefer laminates, Crook said.

Laminate floors look like real wood, are one-half-inch thick or less, and with their floating, tongue-in-groove, snap-in construction, can be easily installed overtop of existing floors.

But their best feature may be that they are scratch and dent resistant, making them ideal for families with children, pets, or both.

“The only thing more durable than a laminate is ceramic tile,” Crook said.

A home may have an existing wood floor that has been carpeted for many years and is in poor condition. Covering the floor with a laminate is often easier and not nearly as messy as tearing the floor out or sanding it down.

Laminate floors cost less, too, Crook said.

“They’re less expensive than real wood, which has to be nailed, stapled or glued,” she said.

Don Grubb, owner of D & R Floor Covering, 515 Vance Road, said that while he sells a lot of wood laminate floors, the real deal is the first choice for his customers.

“It’s a good value,” Grubb said. “It’s something that is pretty much a permanent floor for the home, as compared to carpeting or vinyl, which would be more temporary. Wood also has a natural beauty and warmth that you can’t get with vinyl.”

But vinyl has become a more popular option over the last year or so, Crook said. Vinyl is less expensive, is durable and easy to maintain, she said. Another reason for its comeback may be that in an uncertain economy people often will go back to something they know and trust, she said.

Engineered wood flooring is made by pressing and gluing several layers of plastic laminate veneer and real wood together. It is different from a laminate floor in that laminate does not contain any real wood.

It’s advantage is that it has the beauty of a solid wood floor, but is more stable in areas where there is high humidity, Grubb said. It is perfect for homes that are located next to lakes, he said, and can be used in basements.

But it’s not necessarily less expensive, he said.

“It really takes more of a manufacturing process to create them,” he said.

When buying engineered flooring, look for a surface layer that is at least two millimeters thick, he said.

Whether installing a hardwood, laminate or engineered floor, a homeowner will have to decide what color to use. In general, light-colored woods may be more stylish in casual rooms, while darker stains may look better in more formal rooms. But, as with most decorating choices, a homeowner’s budget and personal style are what matter most.

The hardness of the wood is also important, with Brazilian cherry being one of the most durable flooring woods, according to the Janka system, which assigns a rating based on how much force is needed to embed a steel ball into the wood.

Flooring is also graded on things such as color, grain and markings. Wood that is harder and more consistent in grain and color tends to be more expensive.

While hardwood and laminate floors remain the No. 1 choice for homeowners, carpeting also remains a top seller, Crook said, especially in bedrooms.

“People like the warm and fuzzy under their feet when they get up in the morning,” she said.

Rubber floors made from recycled tires and floors made from cork are also being used in more homes, Crook said. Both eco-friendly choices are attractive, are easy to clean and maintain and feel warm, offering some insulation.

Small home renovations will buy you time until you get the entire budget

It’s a reality of our fragile economy: Many homeowners who dream of the perfect kitchen or master bath are putting full-scale renovation on hold in favor of more limited changes.

“What’s on everyone’s minds is making the space feel and function a little better until you can reach the ultimate kitchen or bath that you want,” says Danny Lipford, host of the nationally syndicated home-improvement radio show “Homefront with Danny Lipford.” He says he often hears from listeners planning smaller redecorating projects to tide them over until real renovation fits in their budgets.

But which small projects are worth it if you’re going to remodel the space within just a few years?

Choose projects that offer big change at little cost, or that serve as first steps toward eventual full-scale renovation, says Sabrina Soto, designer and host of HGTV’s new series “The High Low Project.”

Look to the largest surfaces: Lipford suggests making changes to the biggest surfaces in a room, such as countertops or floors. Old laminate countertops can now be painted for less than $50, he says, and the results look surprisingly good. Using a type of paint sold in a kit (Lipford recommends one found at Gianigranite.com), homeowners can paint over the old countertop and then seal it with a coating that mimics the look and solid feel of laminate.

Tanya Memme, host of A&E’s “Sell This House,” agrees that big surfaces are a good place to start. “Any room will look bad if the floors aren’t in decent shape,” she says.

Cover a soon-to-be-replaced wood or tile floor with a colorful new rug, or put down peel-and-stick vinyl tiles. Good quality vinyl tiles resembling granite can cost several hundred dollars if you’re covering a full kitchen floor. But the change is dramatic, so it may be worthwhile even for just a few years of use.

Old China ceramic tile floors and tile walls can get a facelift for just a few dollars if you use grout stain, Lipford says. You can make dingy grout a pristine white again or change it to a new color that contrasts with your old tile.

Memme suggests adding a tile backsplash to a kitchen wall for a burst of new style. Do it yourself to save money. “It might seem difficult to put up tile,” she says, “but actually it’s very easy to do.” Small tiles come on a mesh sheet, so you’re not placing each one.

Another way to bring big change to walls: Michael Hydeck, president of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, suggests painting with different textures. Try a faux finish like granite or marble, or buy the same shade of paint in two different finishes – one shiny and one matte – and paint alternating stripes in each.

Shed some light: Installing under-cabinet or over-cabinet lighting probably isn’t wise if you’ll be removing the cabinets in a year or two, Hydeck notes. But a new ceiling light can be installed now and still be used when kitchens or bathrooms are renovated.

Changing window treatments also can change a room’s lighting and bring in fresh color. “Everybody gets used to what’s up on their windows,” Memme says, “because they’ve been living with it. They don’t see the wear and tear.” Remove old blinds or shades and replace them with inexpensive curtains.

Upgrade appliances: Soto suggests phasing in new major appliances ahead of a full kitchen renovation. If need be, they can be relocated elsewhere in the room once the remodeling is done. She also suggests buying new countertop appliances, such as microwaves or toaster ovens, now, with the anticipated redesign of the kitchen in mind.

If you can’t replace appliances now but are craving change, Lipford says appliance paint is available from Rustoleum and other companies. It can give new life to an old refrigerator or dishwasher, and is easy to apply yourself.

Think hard about hardware: Small items such as drawer pulls, electrical switch plates and doorknobs can easily be changed. Swap out old knobs for new door handles, switch from brass to nickel, or bring in jeweled or glass or ceramic pieces for added style.

Faucets also can be changed now and then re-used when you eventually replace the entire sink.

Out with the old: Old glass shower doors can be removed relatively easily and replaced by a stylish fabric shower curtain. Swap out old kitchen chairs with cool, flea-market finds, or recover chair cushions yourself with a few yards of new fabric.

Replace a dated bathroom mirror with an inexpensive framed one, or simply build your own frame with strips of molding.

These projects can give an outdated kitchen or bath enough new life to keep a homeowner happy until true renovation is possible.