Hardwood vs. Laminate: Key Differences in the Flooring Types

Hardwood floors come from lumber harvested from mature trees and milled into tongue-and-groove planks in preparation for installation and nailing. Hardwood flooring can fall into two categories—solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. Solid hardwood flooring is the real deal, made entirely from solid wood, whereas engineered wood flooring has a manufactured top layer of wood over a subfloor (sometimes made of multiple layers of wood or a synthetic material like concrete).

Laminate flooring is a man-made product manufactured to mimic the appearance of real hardwood. Laminate floorboards have a water-resistant base that stabilizes layers of high-density fiberboard. The fiberboard core layer has a finish of designed wood veneer or a melamine “wear layer” to protect it from damage in high-traffic areas. You may easily mistake laminates for vinyl flooring, a synthetic type of flooring, due to their similar construction and ease of installation.

Choosing the right type of flooring materials can be an important decision for a DIY home improvement project or new residential build. Here are some of the main differences between hardwoods and laminate flooring to help you decide what will work best for your home:

• Aesthetics: Wood flooring has an aesthetically natural, warm feel in comparison to laminate floors. Although laminates have improved in terms of being able to mirror the natural look and texture of real wood, you can’t refinish laminate flooring. Conversely, you can refinish and stain wood flooring several times and customize the appearance of your floors to any design changes in the future.
• Durability: If maintained, wood flooring can last decades. However, hardwood floorboards are susceptible to dents and scratches from everyday life and will warp if exposed to moisture. You can remedy these common forms of damage by sanding and refinishing the floor’s surface. For humid environments like basements, quality laminate flooring may be the more durable option.
• Installation: Installing wood floors can be a time-consuming task that requires a skilled contractor. However, laminate flooring installation is quick and easy with the “floating floor” method. The floating floor is a system of interlocking individual laminate planks or tiles that lay flat on the underlayment.
• Material cost: One of the main differences between the two flooring options is the material cost. Although wood flooring can be a high-quality and eco-friendly choice, you can pay between three to six times the cost per square foot compared to laminate alternatives.

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