The most common question I`ve encountered in the last 5 years from customers is the choice between laminate flooring or hardwood flooring. It is not a simple answer of yes or no and the answer is not always the same for every person. The choice between laminate and hardwood depends on several variables that can differ greatly between individuals.
The most important thing to understand is the key difference between three types of flooring: laminate, solid hardwood, and engineered hardwood. Many times people confuse laminate and engineered as being one in the same.
Solid hardwood is exactly like it sounds a solid piece of wood cut into plank form and than either pre-finished at the manufacturer or site finished at a job site. Solid Hardwood is generally thicker than engineered and laminate flooring.
Engineered hardwood is commonly mistaken for laminate because they share some similarities in the construction process. Engineered wood is made up of 5-7 plys with a wear layer and real wood veneer on top. Engineered hardwood is predominantly used in areas where solid hardwood flooring`s natural characteristics can cause problems. An example is Solid Hardwood cupping due to temperature shifts and increased moisture. Engineered Hardwood tends to not be as thick as Solid Hardwood.
Laminate or Plastic Laminate Flooring is a form of flooring that features high density compression construction with a photo quality image veneer laminated or covered with a plastic coat. Many laminate floors also feature embossment which adds texture to the surface of the plank to simulate the natural characteristics of wood. Because of the construction process laminate is highly durable resisting much more stress than both solid hardwood and engineered hardwood.
So now that you understand the key differences between solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring and laminate flooring which one is the best choice? There are several things you must take into consideration before making a decision. This floor could be with you for a long time so it`s important to base your decision on what each floor offers that fits your situation.
Installation is a key concern among many consumers. Which floor offers the best installation procedure? While there are a few hardwoods that offer "floating" installation for the most part they require either the hardwood planks being glued, nailed or stapled directly to the subfloor of the area. Most laminates offer a floating system which requires planks not to be connected directly to the subfloor. Generally a sound inhibitor pad is laid underneath the laminate floor to reduce the sound created by movement on the floor. Increasingly manufacturers are selling products with this sound inhibitor directly attached to the laminate.
For the do-it-yourselfer laminate installation is a very simple procedure because of the floating installation and locking system used in the product. Flooring an area of 100 square feet can generally only take an afternoon. With Hardwood it is suggested that you use an experienced installer to ensure you get a properly installed and aesthetically appealing floor.
Resale value is another chief concern, while laminate is gradually increasing in the visual department to appear similar to hardwood it still can not come close to matching it in resale value. If you intend to eventually move from your house adding hardwood floors can increase the value of your home. Laminate while a durable choice can not bolster the value of your home.
Durability is another concern. If you have children and large amounts of traffic will be on the area Hardwood may not be the best solution. Both engineered and solid hardwood can be dented and dinged due to impacts and furniture movement, the finish can also be scratched. Many people believe this adds character to the flooring and several times minor dents and dings can be repaired with minor effort. Hardwood floors can also be sanded and refinished several times over. Laminate floors surpass Hardwood floors in the durability department due to its construction while certainly not indestructible laminate flooring can take consistent amounts of stress from traffic and resists impact damage remarkably well.
Probably the most important factor in selecting a floor is how visually appealing it is. Laminate flooring features only 3-7 different grain patterns, this will cause you to see several repetitions of planks when the floor is installed. It`s generally a good idea to sort the planks beforehand to avoid patterning mixing up the planks will help to make the floor similar to real wood. Laminate also tends to be much glossier than hardwood reflecting light. Several manufacturers have made advances in Laminate design including planks of varying lengths to further simulate real hardwood floors.
Hardwood is clearly the superior product in regards to visual appearance. It features unique grain patterns and you will see no exact repetion when the product is installed. The floor while still having a gloss to it is no where near the gloss evident in many Laminates.
So which is the right choice? If you want a very visually appealing floor which will help increase the resale value of your home than you`re going to want to take a serious look at Hardwood flooring. If you want a floor with similar design to Hardwood but with excellent durability, easy installation and is more cost effective you`re going to want a wood-look laminate floor.
Ultimately the decision is yours and it is important to weight all the factors in making your decision to ensure that your final product is one you are completely satisfied with.
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