Laminate floors are completely man-made and not natural in any way. It is made from man-made materials and is basically a fiber board imprinted with an image that looks like wood. These floors are less expensive than engineered hardwood and a lot less expensive than real hardwood. With newer innovations, these floors can look as good as real hardwood, but if you look too closely you will be able to tell the difference.
Engineered hardwood is more realistic looking than laminate and therefore more expensive. Engineered hardwood is a layer of plywood covered by a thin layer of true hardwood. Because you are using only a thin layer of true hardwood, it is less expensive than totally hardwood floors. Because of the layer of hardwood, it looks just like true hardwood at a fraction of the price. In some cases, engineered hardwood is a much better choice than solid hardwood flooring.
You can do some research to see which of these are better for your home. You need to do some comparison between engineered hardwood vs laminate to see which would work better for you. Below are listed some of the advantages of each of these types of flooring.
Advantages of Laminate Floors
- Affordability
Laminate flooring is only a fraction of the price of solid hardwood because it is entirely manmade. Because of the way it is made, the laminate flooring is much less expensive than solid hardwood floors.
- Resilience
Laminate flooring is more scratch resistant than solid hardwood because of the top layer. It can stand up to kids and pets better than solid hardwood. It is also UV protected which will protect your floors from fading in the sun. Check out this website to see what UV protection means to you and your floors: https://anestwithayard.com/protect-hardwood-floors-sun-bleaching/. This site can answer some of your questions about this.
- Beautiful Appearance
This type of flooring is beautiful and can be any style of wood that you are looking for. If you want a darker oak wood, you can have it, and you can have a light pine look, as well. Today’s laminated floors can look very similar to solid hardwood, and most people will not even be able to tell the difference.
- Maintenance
You will easily be able to clean your laminate floors because it does not need anything special to clean it. If you have a spill, you can wipe it up with a paper towel, using a little water if it is sticky spill. You can also you use a soft microfiber cloth to keep your laminate floors clean and shiny.
- Installation
Laminate flooring is easy to install because it is usually a simple lock-together installation, easy enough to install on your own. It will not take you long to install it, either especially if you have any experience at all.
Advantages of Engineered Hardwood Floors
- Looks Like Real Wood
Engineered hardwood floors look like real wood because they are real wood. They are a thin layer of hardwood that covers a thicker layer of plywood. The way that this is engineered today, you can not really tell a difference between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood.
- It Does Not Expand and Contract Like Solid Hardwood
This means that engineered hardwood is better for places like bathrooms and kitchens or anywhere else that might have too much moisture in the air. The way that the wood is engineered protects it from the expansion and contraction of the wood.
- Durability
Because of the way that it is made, engineered hardwood is much more durable than solid hardwood or laminate flooring. It is made of layers of plywood covered by the hardwood, so it can withstand the pets and the kids better. To learn more about engineered hardwood and its durability here. This site can help you to learn all about it.
- It Can Be Sanded
Engineered hardwood can be sanded just like solid hardwood because it is real wood. When your floor begins to look dull, you can sand it down and make it look like new again. There is a limit to how many times you can sand it because it depends on how thick the top layer is.
- It Can Be Refinished
Once you have sanded it down, you can also refinish your engineered hardwood floors. Once the finish has faded, you can bring it back to life by refinishing your floors. You can also change the color scheme of your room by refinishing your engineered hardwood.
These are just a few of the advantages of both laminate flooring and engineered hardwood flooring. You need to do some research to see which type of flooring is best for you and your home because they both have many advantages. Whichever you choose, you will have beautiful floors to enhance the look of your home.
