Winner: Laminate Flooring (Almost a Tie) Comfort. Laminate Flooring. Engineered wood flooring lasts between 20-100 years if properly maintained, whereas laminate needs to be replaced after 10-20 years. Both are strong, durable floors that are less expensive than natural wood, but laminate flooring typically costs less. Hybrid Flooring Vs. Laminate Flooring: Thickness. But top-quality laminates now have a richer, deeper embossing of simulated wood grain textures, giving the flooring a much more realistic feel. Although both are made using adhesives, high pressure, and heat, engineered wood is 100% real wood which means it is more resilient to moisture than traditional hardwood. While both materials achieve that beautiful wood-look floor, there are key differences between the two. When it comes to engineered hardwood vs. laminate, both options come with benefits; engineered hardwood has diverse styles and colors and is water-resistant, while laminate is cheaper and more durable. But if DIY installation and low cost take precedence over appearance, then laminate flooring is a good choice. When installing an engineered wood floor, there are a few things to consider, from the condition of the subfloor to the method that you will use to install the flooring. Both engineered wood and laminate flooring is comfortable underfoot, but because laminate flooring typically "floats" over the subfloor, it may flex a bit underfoot, especially if the underlayment is not perfectly smooth and flat. The printed image top layer has been made to “look” like a real wood floor. In laminate flooring, pre-designed patterns that imitate the look of wood texture, are imprinted onto the floor surface. Engineered flooring boards can be as narrow as 2 1/4 inches or as wide as 7 inches, with lengths that can generally range from 36 to 48 inches. These flooring materials are equally easy to care for, but the prefinished engineered hardwood has a very tough surface finish and can be refinished at least once. Generally, engineered wood is a more convincing but more costly option compared to laminate. The real wood veneer layer offers the style and unique look of naturally occurring planks. Comparing engineered wood with laminate is an interesting and worthwhile exercise and you might be surprised by the results. Engineered wood flooring has a similar construction as laminate except the top decorative layer is a thick veneer of real wood protected by a coating of a clear acrylic. For frequently wet locations, ceramic tile or luxury vinyl are much better choices. The base is fiberboard, with a photographic image layer bonded over the top. Here, laminate flooring holds a big advantage, since it is one of the most affordable of all flooring materials. The image layer can be printed to resemble many different materials—most types attempt to simulate wood, but there are also stone-look laminates. The bottom and core layers of engineered wood are composed of three to twelve layers of compressed materials like unfinished hardwood, fiberboard, and plywood. Unlike laminate, Engineered hardwood is also made from plywood and wood. It is true that engineered flooring can be more costly than laminate flooring, but provides a better investment value over the long run. Comes prefinished, so you never have to sand and refinish Laminate flooring, while it has become better at mimicking wood and other materials, will always come up short as a replica of wood. Comparing to other wood flooring products, the engineered flooring is a better choice. Deane Biermeier is a contractor with 27 years experience in home repair, maintenance, and remodeling.

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