Is Laminate Flooring The Same As Engineered Wood

For many folks that ends the laminate vs.

Is laminate flooring the same as engineered wood.

To make engineered wood flooring a plywood core board is created by stacking wood plies in opposite directions while gluing each piece together. The main difference between the two floors is that engineered hardwood floors have an actual hardwood surface but structurally they are very similar to a laminate. Neither brings the high value prestige of solid hardwood engineered hardwood or designer ceramic tile or natural stone floors. For that reason floating hardwood flooring functions nearly the same as a flooring option that s fastened down to the subfloor surface you just don t have to deal with all those pesky fasteners.

Engineered hardwood is a type of hardwood flooring that has been designed to look like a hardwood floor but with more durability. The natural top layer makes engineered wood just as durable as traditional hardwood and provides the same classic timeless look. If you have your heart set on having a wood or faux wood floor you have four choices. For some only solid hardwood will do but for many the pros of an engineered wood floor often tip the scales.

Engineered hardwoods on average cost between 4 and 7 per square foot while it is more expensive than laminate it is still a very affordable alternative to hardwood flooring. Engineered wood flooring has a similar construction as laminate except the top decorative layer is a thick veneer of real wood protected by a coating of a clear acrylic. Quality laminate flooring and vinyl flooring lend a comparable amount of value to a home. Laminate runs 1 to 7 per square foot depending on the quality.

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. Laminate and engineered versus hardwood or vinyl. Both floor coverings were developed as economical and versatile alternatives to that mainstay of flooring material solid hardwood flooring. Made of synthetic layers bonded together through a lamination process.

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. More rigid than luxury vinyl aka non resilient. The end result is a floor that s simpler to install and a floor that s easier to remove when the day comes to switch it out for a different. At the same time quality laminate or vinyl flooring usually will not put off prospective home buyers.

However laminate is significantly less expensive than engineered hardwoods. Laminate engineered wood solid hardwood and vinyl. Engineered hardwood debate right there. Laminate flooring generally is less expensive than engineered hardwood.