Engineered hardwood vs laminate flooring

Engineered Hardwood vs Laminate Flooring

Wood flooring is the most common choice for floor material but home renovators are often faced with the ultimate decision; engineered hardwood vs laminate wood flooring.

If you’re planning a home renovation, then chances are a new flooring material is involved. It’s one of the more common, and often most needed changes to be made when upgrading any room.  However, the real question lies in the material – tile, carpet, laminate floors, hardwood, etc. Which is the best for your home and the needs of your family?

The 2 key differences between engineered hardwood and laminate

Knowing all the facts prior to making a decision is key. What is engineered hardwood flooring or wood laminate flooring?

First of all, engineered hardwood is not solid hardwood. Where true hardwood floors consist of solid wood material, engineered hardwood is manufactured through a layering process which increases its strength and still looks like solid hardwood due to the thin layer on the surface.

Laminate, or engineered laminate flooring, is simply a photo-realistic image of hardwood adhered to a man-made wood material.

Now that you know the difference between engineered laminate flooring vs hardwood, let’s look at the overall appearance the two materials achieve.

Engineered hardwood looks exactly like solid hardwood, creating a warm and natural look with real wood grains and the inconsistent patterns one would expect of real hardwood. It’s great for historic, traditional and modern home renovations.

Due to the manufacturing process of laminated wood flooring, the grain and pattern consistency is not as realistic – which one could expect, being that it’s not “real” wood.  But it’s still a great option and can stand the test of time. This laminate material is more commonly used in apartments, modern settings, and commercial spaces.

Cost Breakdown

Engineered hardwood vs laminate flooring come in at opposite ends of the cost spectrum because of their manufacturing process. Engineered floors consist of many layers that add to its structural integrity and often take a lot of time to manufacture. This, combined with the quality of materials used, drives the cost up. Engineered hardwood in itself has a varying pricing system which mostly depends on the species of wood.

Wood laminate flooring is quick and easy to manufacture and is usually produced is mass quantities for sale to wholesalers. This creates a cost efficient laminated wood flooring option for consumers.

How does each flooring option stack up in terms of installation?

walnut engineered hardwood flooring installationEngineered hardwood vs laminate flooring rival each other in many areas but installation is probably the one the varies the most. You can get high end laminate that can pass as a low grade hardwood but the installation is still them same and also adds to the overall cost of your flooring renovation.

Engineered hardwood is installed using a time consuming process in which the installer has to expertly nail down each individual slat.

Laminated wood flooring is quick and easy to install due to its interlocking tongue and groove system. Simply choose where to start in the room (TIP: Always start off your longest wall), lay down your first row and then proceed with the second by clicking and fitting the slats into place.

Pros and cons of engineered hardwood vs laminate

Like any two choices, there are always pros and cons to each and should be considered in the decision making. Apart from being aesthetically pleasing, engineered hardwood also offers longevity. Because of the layer of real wood on the surface, you have the option to sand and refinish in the future.

Vinyl laminate flooring is cost efficient, easy to install, can be used with in-floor heating systems, and comes in an endless color selection. It’s also very durable and often comes with a better warranty than most engineered wood flooring options.

When there’s pros there’s always cons that follow in any decision. While engineered wood flooring vs laminate flooring is often nicer in appearance, it’s still much more expensive, more time consuming to install, not as durable on the surface, and typically cannot be used in combination with in-floor heating systems such as radiant heat.

Laminate flooring also has a couple clear downfalls.  Most importantly, try as they may, manufacturers still can’t achieve that 100% real wood look.   Secondly, and it’s not the ideal choice for cooler/damp locations such as basements due to swelling with water contact.

If you’re a family with children and pets then vinyl laminate flooring may be the better choice because its extremely durable and resistant to scratches and dents.  If you want to achieve a high end look with longevity in mind, then engineered hardwood is definitely where you want to go.

Overall, when deciding which route to go during your home renovation, you have two great options when choosing between engineered hardwood vs laminate. Both offer lots of pros with minimal cons and vast selections making it easier to choose the right floor for your home.  Hopefully this article answered your questions and you now feel confident heading out to purchase the perfect flooring for your home!