If you have been looking for the perfect touch for your dream home, then flooring is an essential part to consider. Many people love the look and feel of hardwood flooring but balk at the expensive costs of installing and caring for those floors. Plus, with the busy lives we lead with small children and pets, it can be challenging to justify installing beautiful floors that can be scratched or stained.
Both engineered hardwood and laminate flooring are great options that are more durable and affordable than solid hardwood. This guide delves into the differences between the two types of flooring, specifically in how a homeowner installs them, their overall appearances, and how to take care of them.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is made from real hardwood that sits on top of plywood or a high-density fiberboard layer. By having a sturdy base layer underneath, engineered hardwood doesn't fluctuate in size based on moisture levels and age like solid hardwood does. However, keep in mind that even engineered hardwood isn't made to withstand very much moisture, so you'll have to be careful.
Typically, expect to pay around $3.39/square foot for engineered wood floors, although that price can go up to $14/square foot if you opt for more expensive versions. Despite these prices, engineered hardwood floors can increase the resale value of your home, so they might be worth the investment in the long run.
Aesthetics
Engineered hardwood looks much more like solid hardwood than laminate flooring, even if someone crouches down and looks carefully. Since it's made using hardwood, just with some modifications, it can look much more realistic. However, it does lack some of the versatility that laminate flooring can offer. Laminate flooring can be made to resemble stone flooring and can utilize specific embossing techniques that aren't possible with engineered hardwood.
Engineered hardwood planks are often just as thick as solid hardwood, meaning that it can be quite difficult to see a difference between them. However, unlike solid hardwood, engineered planks are more resistant to warping and hold their shape quite well.
Installation
Most people prefer floating installation for engineered hardwood flooring. Floating installation involves attaching the panels over a tile or cement subfloor. However, floating isn't the only option for installation. You may choose staple down or glue down, depending on your subfloor and personal preferences.
Care and Cleaning
Engineered hardwood flooring can last for 30 years, assuming you take proper care of it. That might be longer than you want to have the same floors since most people like to update their decor at least once a decade, but if you choose something timeless, it will last for many years to come.
As noted before, engineered hardwood is somewhat more flexible when it comes to water or other liquids than solid hardwood, but it is still vulnerable. You won't have to be paranoid about spills and other accidents, but be vigilant and clean them up as soon as possible to prevent the floorboards from warping or staining.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is a hard surface explicitly made to look like real hardwood flooring, without all of the hassle or cost you've come to expect. It's created with a wood fiber core but then covered with other, more durable layers to make a life-proof floor that can exist in even the busiest of households.
Despite their enhanced endurance, laminate floorboards are often much thinner than engineered hardwood. For people who want to lay their flooring over existing floors or an elevated concrete base, laminate flooring might be a better option. For others, the thin boards might be a drawback; it all depends on your house and what kind of look you want to achieve.
Laminate flooring is much less expensive than solid hardwood or engineered hardwood flooring. If you're looking for something that won't cost you a pretty penny while still making your house look nice, laminate flooring might be the right candidate.
Aesthetics
The laminate base is called fiberboard that holds the photograph of the chosen wood. The great thing about laminate flooring is that it can be made to look like any solid hardwood in existence or even stone flooring to ensure that your flooring matches your decor exactly.
The layer applied on top of the image is there to stop the wear and tear of life from damaging the flooring, but you won't have to worry about how it looks: it's completely transparent. Now that the laminate process has become more refined, optional textures like embossing can be added to make laminate look distinguished or unique.
Generally, most people might be fooled into thinking the flooring is solid hardwood from far away, but when they get closer, it's apparent that they're looking at laminate. If you're looking for something that closely resembles solid hardwood, even upon close inspection, you might want to go with engineered hardwood flooring instead.
Installation
Installing laminate flooring is remarkably simple, making it a great candidate for homeowners who want to save some money by adding DIY floors. Many people choose to add an underlayment of thin foam before laying down the laminate flooring to prevent any extra moisture from seeping up through the concrete flooring and warping the bottom of your planks.
Most laminate flooring has tongues and grooves, which allow the boards to interlock with each other neatly. That leads to a smooth floor surface that is easy to lay down. Start by trimming the edges of your planks and then applying them down one-by-one, starting along one wall of the room. Just make sure to leave a small space between the flooring and the walls, so the planks have room to expand over time. Don't worry about leaving that space; you can add floor molding around the edges for a nice, clean finish.
A Spot of Cleaning
Laminate flooring is also widely known for its ability to be cleaned easily. A homeowner should always speak to the manufacturer or read the instructions when installing new flooring for specifics. Still, generally, be prepared to mop your floors every other month to get rid of the dirt and dust that accumulates from daily life. Sweeping and vacuuming works just fine during the week, but your laminate flooring will need the kind of deep clean that only mopping can provide.
Just be careful how much water you use in mopping. Laminate flooring is plenty durable, but it isn't waterproof. Water can leave stains or cause the laminate to swell up and butt against the other planks. There are special mops made for laminate flooring, which are preferable, although normal mops can be used if you limit the amount of water used to the bare minimum.
If you are worried about stains, keep some rubbing alcohol around. A small amount of rubbing alcohol is particularly useful when you're dealing with ink, paint, or red wine stains on laminate flooring. With the right care and maintenance, laminate flooring can last you 10 to 20 years.
In Summary
Whether you're looking for something a little bit cheaper than solid hardwood that still looks amazing or a durable flooring that will stand up to everything that life has to throw at you, there is something for everyone with engineered hardwood and laminate flooring.
Sources:
Laminate Flooring vs. Engineered Wood Flooring: Which Is Better? | The Spruce
Engineered Hardwood vs Laminate Flooring (Differences, Pros, Cons, Costs) | Home Advisor
Laminate vs Engineered Hardwood Flooring | 2021 Comps, Pros & Cons | Floor Critics
