Engineered Hardwood vs. Laminate Flooring
Without a doubt, your floors are the single largest surface in your home: they are walked on daily, trampled on, have things dropped on them and spilled on them not to mention dirt and outside debris brought in and ground against them. You will see your floors and feel them every single day and that is why it is so incredibly important to consider how your new floors will look after they are installed. When comparing engineered to laminate flooring the first thing that comes to mind is how each one of them looks. However, with a purchase such as this, you will have to take that comparison so much deeper to ensure you are purchasing the right flooring for your budget, home and lifestyle.
Looks
While you will know the construction of your floors let’s face it: the first thing your guests will notice about your floors is how they look. Second to this is how your floor feels; is it too slippery or too rough on the feet? Laminate flooring is composed of images of wood planks whereas engineered has a real solid wood top layer so it is almost indistinguishable from solid hardwood. So if ensuring your floor looks as high end as possible engineered is a fantastic alternative to solid, and will look better than laminate flooring. This type of flooring also is relatively warm for being wood flooring, and can be soft and comfy underfoot.
Cost
While how the floor looks is normally the first and only thing you will think about at first how much your floor is going to cost you will soon become just as, if not more, important that how it looks. For engineered hardwoods you should budget to spend about $6 – $10/square foot or you can find some cheaper options under $5/square foot, excluding installation costs. If that is a little too high for your budget then laminates can be found for $2 – $3/square foot excluding installation. The price will reflect how much it looks like real wood; the closer it is, the more expensive it will be.
