If your home is up for an update, there are several areas of it you can focus on. One of these areas is your flooring. If you’re considering a flooring upgrade, you have to pick a flooring material. It’s common not to be sure if laminate or engineered wood is the right choice for your home. No worries, we’re here to help.

In today’s post, we’ll give you a breakdown of these types of flooring options. We’ll look at what these flooring materials are made of, where they are best installed in the home, and some significant differences between the two. We hope the information you find today will help you decide what type is best suited for your home and lifestyle.

Laminate Flooring and Engineered Wood: Affordable Flooring Options

We all know that genuine hardwood flooring installation can get costly. Still, many homeowners dream of getting that timeless and beautiful look of hardwood floors for their homes. Fortunately, today’s flooring trends – laminate or engineered wood – evoke the same look of hardwood without the expensive price tag.

Homeowners on a budget can upgrade their floors with either laminate or engineered wood. With these wood-look flooring options, you don’t have to shell out for high-priced solid hardwood floors.

Laminate and engineered wood options are just as durable and sleek, and you can choose from many different options.

Popular Flooring Options: Laminate Or Engineered Wood

Among the favorite picks of homeowners for genuine wood, alternatives are either laminate or engineered wood. These two types of flooring have a lot of similarities so that they can be used interchangeably. However, if you’re trying to pick a material to go with your property – whether it’s residential or commercial – it’s necessary to know the key distinguishing characteristics of the two flooring products.

In this laminate or engineered wood showdown, we’ll list some pros and cons that property owners need to know. Read more to help you decide the best flooring option for you.

Key Differences

Laminate and engineered wood floors may look alike at first glance; however, they have different distinguishing makeups and different characteristics. They come with various flaws yet also have unique special features.

The significant difference between the two floors is the surface. The top layer on engineered wood floors is made of solid wood. On the other hand, laminate flooring contains a photographic surface coated with a wear top to emulate a wood-look exterior.

Engineered wood is the thicker option. It’s thickened with layers of fiberboard, plywood, or SPC; laminate floor planks are thinner.

That’s the key difference between the two. However, there’s more to these flooring products.

Engineered Wood Flooring

This type of wood is composed of a veneer layer of solid hardwood. However, the rest of the composition underneath the solid hardwood is comprised of artificial materials. The genuine wood layers make engineered wood just as sturdy as traditional hardwood. Also, it gives off the same beautiful and timeless appeal that conventional wood does and without the expensive cost.

The artificial materials that make up engineered wood are either fiberboard, plywood, or stone plastic composite (SPC). SPC is a combination of plastic and limestone and is known for its denseness and rigidity.  SPC is also waterproof, which makes it a prime choice for bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.

Laminate Flooring

This flooring can still be categorized under “wood floors” because of the wood fibers it contains.

However, not like engineered wood, laminate boards don’t have plywood layers. The top is a printed image layer that’s made to look like wood. Since it’s a printed surface, the design possibilities are practically endless. Other types of laminate floors can also made to look like stone, tile, or even metal.

This type of flooring is made of four layers:

• Backing layer – this is the foundation of the laminate boards. It provides the stability the floors need to keep moisture out.
• Core layer – this layer is comprised of high-density fiberboard that is also resistant to moisture, but not completely waterproof.
• Image layer – this is the layer that shows the design or print of the floor.

Wear layer – this layer protects the planks from dents, stains, and scratches. It also provides a realistic feel and looks of the flooring.

Laminate or Engineered Wood

Ultimately, to know which flooring type is best for you, consult a flooring specialist.