Not Your Father's Vinyl Floor. But it also can be a "softer" floor, since laminate flooring is usually installed over a foam underlayment. But before you start, here's what you need to know to get the job done right. Conclusion: Engineered Hardwood vs. Laminate When it comes to engineered hardwood vs. laminate, both options come with benefits; engineered hardwood has diverse styles and colors and is water … The biggest advantage that engineered hardwood flooring holds over laminate flooring is that its surface is real hardwood. According to Time.com, hardwood floors boost your home’s resale value, referring to a study from that reveals that 54% of homebuyers would invest more in a home that has hardwoods. When it comes to laminate vs. engineered hardwood flooring, the options are endless. Manufacturers typically offer baseboards that match your new flooring. Laminate vs. Both laminate and engineered wood have merits and drawbacks, which you must weigh in order to make the right decision. Before we can debate the merits of these two flooring types, it’s important to first exactly what they are. There was a time when hardwood was only available in solid wood flooring and laminate was a poorly made, cheap alternative. Privacy Policy. If you’re looking for budget-friendly flooring that stands up to kids and pets, laminate is a great option. For frequently wet locations, ceramic tile or luxury vinyl are much better choices. The differences between engineered wood flooring and laminate flooring begin in their composition. Since you don’t have to worry about it buckling, engineered hardwood is very stable and versatile, especially compared to laminate flooring. Engineered Wood Comparison Guide, Hardwood Flooring in Kitchens Review: Pros and Cons, Pros and Cons of Laminate Flooring in Bedrooms, Wood Flooring Basics: Engineered Wood, Solid, Laminate, Wood Parquet Flooring Review: Pros and Cons, Laminate Underlayment: What to Know Before Installation. Because hardwood floors can last for generations, they raise your home’s value more than laminate floors. It provides the unmatched beauty of real wood without solid wood flooring’s tendency to shrink or warp. Laminate flooring can imitate all kinds of wood species or can be made to look like stone, ceramic tile and even leather. Laminate flooring will sometimes compromise a home's value, but very high-end laminate flooring is by no means a drawback when it comes to marketing a home; it offers better resale value than carpet or vinyl. Laminate flooring, while it has become better at mimicking wood and other materials, will always come up short as a replica of wood. Engineered Wood Flooring Vs. Laminate. Most people find it possible to cover a room with laminate flooring in an afternoon. Hardwood. Some styles of engineered wood flooring are designed to be assembled with random board widths. Several flooring brands manufacture both engineered wood and laminate flooring: Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 12 years. See how each type of flooring is made here laminate and engineered hardwoods. Engineered hardwood is a thicker flooring and is typically nailed or glued down, so it does not have the problem with flexing. Engineered hardwood flooring has a similar construction as laminate except the top decorative layer is a thick veneer of real wood protected by a coating of clear acrylic. Here, laminate flooring holds a big advantage, since it is one of the most affordable of all flooring materials. This gives the flooring good dimensional stability, and it certain applications it is an even better choice than solid hardwood flooring. When we consider the durability between engineered hardwood vs. laminate flooring, we think about things like scratches, dents and the lifespan of your floors. Without a doubt, your floors are the single largest surface in your home: they are walked on daily, trampled on, have things dropped on them and spilled on … If you’re planning a home … Both are strong, durable floors that are less expensive than natural wood, but laminate flooring typically costs less. Laminate flooring and Engineered Hardwood floors are very similar, and often get confused, but there are some key differences to take into consideration when comparing the two floors. It can be installed in basement locations where moisture and humidity would be problematic for solid wood flooring. Laminate flooring generally is less expensive than engineered hardwood. Laminate Flooring Engineered Hardwood Flooring; Durability: The durability of solid hardwood flooring is mainly determined by the hardness of the wood specie it is made from. A solid hardwood floor can last up to 100 years when treated properly, while engineered hardwoods can last at least 50. The planks are engineered with a unique "click-lock" edge treatment in which the edges of the planks interlock and "float" over a layer of foam underlayment spread over the subfloor. Engineered hardwood flooring can be sanded and refinished at least once, and if the flooring has a particularly thick veneer layer, you may even be able to refinish it two or three times. How do you do it? Engineered hardwood also provides a better value point if you should decide to sell your house. The image layer can be printed to resemble many different materials—most types attempt to simulate wood, but there are also stone-look laminates. 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