{"id":92627,"date":"2020-06-23T11:07:27","date_gmt":"2020-06-23T11:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/?p=92627"},"modified":"2020-06-23T11:07:29","modified_gmt":"2020-06-23T11:07:29","slug":"hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html","title":{"rendered":"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Which One Is Better?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

IN THIS POST<\/strong>
– What is Hardwood?<\/a>
– What is Softwood?<\/a>
– Pros & Cons of Hardwood Flooring<\/a>
– Pros & Cons of Softwood Flooring<\/a>
– Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring<\/a>
– Which One Is Better for Your Home?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choosing between hardwood vs softwood flooring is one of the biggest decisions one has to make when getting ready to install wooden floors in their home. Apart from the difference in their origin and appearances, one must also consider the advantages and disadvantages pertaining to each type of wood flooring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to make the best decision for your home, you need to know the main differences as well as the pros and cons of hardwood vs softwood flooring. However, before we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of installing hardwood and softwood floorings, let\u2019s take a quick look at what they actually are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Hardwood?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"characteristics
Hardwood is generally denser and sturdier than softwood <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hardwood comes from deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the falls and grow new ones in the spring. They are also predominantly angiosperms, which means hardwood trees bear flowers and produce seeds enclosed within a carpel. Some of the most common examples of hardwood trees include oak, walnut, teak and mahogany. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though all types of woods have distinct grain patterns, hardwoods tend to have closed grains and are usually available in dark brown and red hues. However, you can also find hardwood floors in shades of white. Owing to their vast range of colours and styles, hardwood floors offer homeowners a number of options to choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, one of the main characteristics of hardwood flooring is that it is resilient to general wear and tear. Flooring made out of this wood is also considerably more durable. However, since hardwoods have a slow growth rate and high market demand, they are relatively expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Softwood?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"characteristics
Softwood is flexible and easier to work with<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Softwood comes from evergreen trees that don\u2019t shed their leaves every year. Some of the most common softwood trees include spruce, fir, cedar and pine. They tend to have a yellowish or lighter red colour and a looser grain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contrary to popular belief, softwoods are not very soft or less dense than hardwood trees. They are perfectly suitable for flooring. Compared to hardwoods, softwoods are relatively more prevalent. In fact, they make up around 75 to 80 percent of timber used for flooring and furniture all around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most noteworthy characteristics of softwood is that it\u2019s more flexible in nature, making it an ideal choice for construction. On the flip side, softwood flooring is slightly more prone to wear and tear and a little less durable than its hardwood counterpart. This type of wood flooring is not suitable for dining rooms with heavy tables and chairs, rooms with heavy furniture, and kitchens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Softwood floorings are also less expensive than hardwood floorings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to compare hardwood vs softwood flooring, we need to study their individual pros and cons first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros and Cons of Hardwood Flooring<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Pros
Hardwood flooring can make your house look upscale and luxurious <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here are the most prominent advantages and disadvantages of installing hardwood flooring in your home:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro:<\/strong> One of the main properties of hardwood is its longevity. Hardwood flooring is pretty durable and has a relatively long lifespan<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con:<\/strong> Hardwoods have a slower growth rate and take a longer time to replenish. Therefore, using them for construction is not very eco-friendly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro:<\/strong> Floors made from hardwood are easy to maintain, clean and repair<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con:<\/strong> Owing to their density, hardwood can be a little difficult to work with<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro: <\/strong>Hardwoods are sturdier compared to softwoods, making them an ideal option for flooring<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con:<\/strong> The price of hardwood flooring is slightly higher than softwood flooring<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro: <\/strong>You can find hardwood flooring in a wide range of colours and finishes to complement your home d\u00e9cor and design<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con:<\/strong> Refinishing hardwood floors in high traffic areas can be quite costly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro:<\/strong> Hardwood timber is more resistant to fire than softwood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pros and Cons of Softwood Flooring<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Pros
Softwood floors can be easily stained to match your colour palette <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

These are the most noteworthy benefits and drawbacks of installing softwood flooring in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro<\/strong>: The price of softwood flooring is relatively lower, making it a great option for those building or renovating their home on a budget<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con<\/strong>: Softwood timber has a lower density, which means it is less durable and sturdy than hardwood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro<\/strong>: Since softwoods grow at a much quicker pace, they are considered more environment-friendly. In other words, they are easy to replenish<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con<\/strong>: Softwood flooring is not suitable for high traffic areas in your home and it can be easily scratched and dented<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro<\/strong>: One of the main properties of softwood is its flexibility. Since it is easier to work with, it can be used to build furniture and flooring among other things<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Con<\/strong>: Floors made from softwood are not resistant to fire unless treated<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro: <\/strong>Compared to hardwood flooring, refinishing softwood flooring is a lot less challenging <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: A Comparison <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"installing
Each of these flooring options have their own advantages and disadvantages <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The main difference between hardwood and softwood flooring is durability, which in turn affects their rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to a comparison between softwood vs hardwood, the former offer varying degrees of resilience but is more prone to general wear and tear. On the other hand, hardwoods are generally denser and considerably more durable. They can also endure heavy foot traffic without looking distressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, softwoods are easier to stain and seal to add to its durability. Hardwood, on the other hand, mostly comes prefinished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The average starting price of hardwood flooring in Pakistan is around PKR 585 per sq ft, whereas the average starting price of softwood flooring in Pakistan is about PKR 200 per sq ft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more information, you can check out our detailed guide on wooden floorings and their rates in Pakistan<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which One Is Better For Your Home?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"difference
You can choose different types of wooden flooring for each part of your house <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If you compare the pros and cons of hardwood vs softwood flooring, hardwood stands out as a better option in terms of strength and durability. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, you can install both of these types in your home. While hardwood flooring is a great option for the kitchen, living room, hallway and dining room, softwood flooring is the perfect (and a lesser expensive) option for basements, attics and guest bedrooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In case you are not interested in either, here are some budget-friendly alternatives to wooden flooring in Pakistan<\/a> that can add a hint of elegance to your home. Installing wooden parquet flooring<\/a> is also a great way to enhance the beauty of your house and make it look luxurious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feel free to share your thoughts and comments with us on blog@zameen.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about the costs and features of different building materials, stay connected to Zameen Blog \u2013 the best construction and real estate blog in Pakistan<\/a>. You can also subscribe to Zameen Newsletter and our Facebook page<\/a> to stay up-to-date about the latest trends in the property market.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IN THIS POST– What is Hardwood?– What is Softwood?– Pros & Cons of Hardwood Flooring– Pros & Cons of Softwood Flooring– Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring– Which One Is Better for Your Home? Choosing between hardwood vs softwood flooring is one of the biggest decisions one has to make when getting ready to install wooden floors in their home. Apart from the difference in their origin and appearances, one must also consider the advantages and disadvantages pertaining to each type of wood flooring.  In order to make the best decision for your home, you need to know the main differences as well as the pros and cons of hardwood vs softwood flooring. However, before we discuss the benefits and drawbacks of installing hardwood and softwood floorings, let\u2019s take a quick look at what they actually are. What is Hardwood? Hardwood comes from deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the falls and grow new ones in the spring. They are also predominantly angiosperms, which means hardwood trees bear flowers and produce seeds enclosed within a carpel. Some of the most common examples of hardwood trees include oak, walnut, teak and mahogany.  Though all types of woods have distinct grain patterns, hardwoods…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":92638,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[68371,68366,6635,68380,68383,68375,68381,36405,68370,68377,68368,68369,36411,68384,36403,68382,68367,68372,801,381],"persona":[32420,32413,32427],"class_list":{"0":"post-92627","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-construction","8":"tag-characteristics-of-hardwood","9":"tag-characteristics-of-softwood","10":"tag-hardwood-flooring","11":"tag-hardwood-flooring-in-pakistan","12":"tag-hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring","13":"tag-installing-hardwood-flooring","14":"tag-installing-softwood-flooring","15":"tag-price-of-hardwood-floor","16":"tag-price-of-hardwood-flooring","17":"tag-price-of-softwood-flooring","18":"tag-properties-of-hardwood","19":"tag-properties-of-softwood","20":"tag-pros-and-cons-of-hardwood-floor","21":"tag-pros-and-cons-of-softwood-flooring","22":"tag-rate-of-hardwood-floor","23":"tag-softwood-flooring-in-pakistan","24":"tag-softwood-vs-hardwood","25":"tag-the-main-difference-between-hardwood-and-softwood","26":"tag-wood-flooring","27":"tag-wooden-floor-price-pakistan","28":"persona-home-care","29":"persona-home-decor","30":"persona-home-improvements","31":"cat-29-id"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Pros and Cons | Zameen Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Confused between installing hardwood vs softwood flooring in your home? This comprehensive guide can help you make an informed decision.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Which One Should You Choose?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Confused between installing hardwood vs softwood flooring in your home? This comprehensive guide can help you make an informed decision.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A blog about real estate, lifestyle and tourism in Pakistan | Zameen Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZameenPK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-06-23T11:07:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-06-23T11:07:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Hardwood-vs-Softwood-Flooring-Cover-23-06.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1440\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"625\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ramsha Sadiq\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@ZameenProperty\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ZameenProperty\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ramsha Sadiq\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Pros and Cons | Zameen Blog","description":"Confused between installing hardwood vs softwood flooring in your home? This comprehensive guide can help you make an informed decision.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Which One Should You Choose?","og_description":"Confused between installing hardwood vs softwood flooring in your home? This comprehensive guide can help you make an informed decision.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html","og_site_name":"A blog about real estate, lifestyle and tourism in Pakistan | Zameen Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ZameenPK","article_published_time":"2020-06-23T11:07:27+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-06-23T11:07:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1440,"height":625,"url":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Hardwood-vs-Softwood-Flooring-Cover-23-06.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Ramsha Sadiq","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@ZameenProperty","twitter_site":"@ZameenProperty","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Ramsha Sadiq","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html"},"author":{"name":"Ramsha Sadiq","@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6603c0ed15a6fca62ef1bb47f3ab7f39"},"headline":"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Which One Is Better?","datePublished":"2020-06-23T11:07:27+00:00","dateModified":"2020-06-23T11:07:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html"},"wordCount":1213,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Hardwood-vs-Softwood-Flooring-Cover-23-06.jpg","keywords":["characteristics of hardwood","characteristics of softwood","hardwood flooring","hardwood flooring in Pakistan","hardwood vs softwood flooring","installing hardwood flooring","installing softwood flooring","price of hardwood floor","price of hardwood flooring","price of softwood flooring","properties of hardwood","properties of softwood","pros and cons of hardwood floor","pros and cons of softwood flooring","rate of hardwood floor","softwood flooring in Pakistan","softwood vs hardwood","the main difference between hardwood and softwood","wood flooring","wooden floor price pakistan"],"articleSection":["Construction"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html","url":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html","name":"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Pros and Cons | Zameen Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Hardwood-vs-Softwood-Flooring-Cover-23-06.jpg","datePublished":"2020-06-23T11:07:27+00:00","dateModified":"2020-06-23T11:07:29+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6603c0ed15a6fca62ef1bb47f3ab7f39"},"description":"Confused between installing hardwood vs softwood flooring in your home? This comprehensive guide can help you make an informed decision.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Hardwood-vs-Softwood-Flooring-Cover-23-06.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Hardwood-vs-Softwood-Flooring-Cover-23-06.jpg","width":1440,"height":625,"caption":"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring for your home"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/hardwood-vs-softwood-flooring.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Construction","item":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/construction"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Hardwood vs Softwood Flooring: Which One Is Better?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/","name":"A blog about real estate, lifestyle and tourism in Pakistan | Zameen Blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6603c0ed15a6fca62ef1bb47f3ab7f39","name":"Ramsha Sadiq","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ramsha-Sadiq-Khan-96x96.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ramsha-Sadiq-Khan-96x96.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cdn-blog.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ramsha-Sadiq-Khan-96x96.jpeg","caption":"Ramsha Sadiq"},"description":"RS has a degree in Mass Communication and a passion for creative writing. When she is not working, you'll find her reading a comic book, browsing through Netflix, or planning her next travel adventure."}]}},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=92627"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":92649,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/92627\/revisions\/92649"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/92638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=92627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=92627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=92627"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zameen.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=92627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}