Engineered Wood Floor Versus Laminate

Laminate engineered wood solid hardwood and vinyl.

Engineered wood floor versus laminate.

For many folks that ends the laminate vs. If you have your heart set on having a wood or faux wood floor you have four choices. The base is fiberboard with a photographic image layer bonded over the top. Made of synthetic layers bonded together through a lamination process.

Laminate runs 1 to 7 per square foot depending on the quality. The primary advantage engineered wood has over laminate is that it is a much more convincing replica of real hardwood flooring. Though engineered wood is not made out of 100 solid wood you can think of it as smart hardwood a real hardwood floor that is more versatile than a solid wood plank. In very general terms when you buy a laminate floor you can expect a maximum life expectancy of around 20 years whereas a quality engineered wood floor should last for up to 75 years.

Laminate and engineered versus hardwood or vinyl. Get a quote for your flooring project get estimates vinyl vs. It s often considered interchangeable with sheet vinyl because they look similar are affordable water resistant and. This is the only option of installation for a laminate floor however an engineered hardwood floor can also be installed with a glue down or nail staple option.

Laminate flooring is a fully man made material that consists of several layers. Then a transparent wear layer is applied to protect the surface. You can obtain beautiful exotic wood species at a much lower price when compared to solid hardwood because engineered wood only uses a thin veneer layer. For some only solid hardwood will do but for many the pros of an engineered wood floor often tip the scales.

This simply has to be taken into account when making your decisions. This is because the top layer is actual real hardwood. One major difference is the subfloor requirements. Both laminate flooring and engineered hardwood floors can be floated with a diy click and lock installation.

Laminate flooring generally is less expensive than engineered hardwood. Engineered hardwood debate right there. Cheaper versions have 1 4 inch cores and the photo reproductions may not be as realistic as more expensive versions.