Engineered Hardwood Vs Laminate Vs Vinyl Flooring

Luxury vinyl planks when it comes to hardwood flooring many homeowners only think of solid and engineered wood.

Engineered hardwood vs laminate vs vinyl flooring.

Vinyl flooring is a 100 percent synthetic material. In standard sheet vinyl and vinyl tiles the base layer is usually fiberglass which is then coated in pvc vinyl and a plasticizer. Then a transparent wear layer is applied to protect the surface. Cheaper versions have 1 4 inch cores and the photo reproductions may not be as realistic as more expensive versions.

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. Solid hardwood is flooring that is. Engineered wood flooring. Made of synthetic layers bonded together through a lamination process.

The base is fiberboard with a photographic image layer bonded over the top. If you have your heart set on having a wood or faux wood floor you have four choices. Laminate runs 1 to 7 per square foot depending on the quality. Engineered hardwood debate right there.

Hardwood vs laminate vs vinyl plank. For many folks that ends the laminate vs. There s actually not that much between them and most of the pros and cons are the same as comparing laminate vs hardwood. More rigid than luxury vinyl aka non resilient.

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 vs engineered wood flooring. The resulting sheet is printed and embossed with a surface print layer. Laminate flooring is a fully man made material that consists of several layers.

Like vinyl and other types of flooring engineered hardwoods can fade when exposed to heavy sunlight to prevent this problem you can use area rugs in areas exposed to sunlight. Laminate flooring generally is less expensive than engineered hardwood. Unlike traditional hardwoods engineered hardwood can become wet this means you can use it in rooms like bathrooms laundry rooms kitchens or basements where humidity or moisture would otherwise ruin a hardwood floor. Laminate engineered wood solid hardwood and vinyl.

However there are other manufactured woods such as luxury vinyl planks that are fashioned to simulate the look and feel of hardwood. Comparing engineered wood with laminate is an interesting and worthwhile exercise and you might be surprised by the results.