Is Laminate Flooring The Same As Engineered Wood

Laminate flooring generally is less expensive than engineered hardwood.

Is laminate flooring the same as engineered wood.

Engineered hardwood debate right there. When it comes to pricing both laminate and engineered hardwood are quite affordable when compared to other flooring types. Laminate engineered wood solid hardwood and vinyl. Made of synthetic layers bonded together through a lamination process.

Laminate runs 1 to 7 per square foot depending on the quality. 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. Laminate and engineered versus hardwood or vinyl. 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.

Both floor coverings were developed as economical and versatile alternatives to that mainstay of flooring material solid hardwood flooring. 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. 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.

However laminate is significantly less expensive than engineered hardwoods. Laminate flooring and engineered wood flooring are two obvious choices if you want a flooring that looks like solid hardwood but at a more affordable price. The natural top layer makes engineered wood just as durable as traditional hardwood and provides the same classic timeless look. 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.

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. At the same time quality laminate or vinyl flooring usually will not put off prospective home buyers. Engineered hardwood is a type of hardwood flooring that has been designed to look like a hardwood floor but with more durability. If you have your heart set on having a wood or faux wood floor you have four choices.

Cheaper versions have 1 4 inch cores and the photo reproductions may not be as realistic as more expensive versions. Neither brings the high value prestige of solid hardwood engineered hardwood or designer ceramic tile or natural stone floors. For some only solid hardwood will do but for many the pros of an engineered wood floor often tip the scales. To make engineered wood flooring a plywood core board is created by stacking wood plies in opposite directions while gluing each piece together.