Laminate Flooring vs Hardwood Flooring – Let the Battle Begin!

Flooring Shown- BR-111 Engineered Locking Hardwood

When deciding between whether an application of hardwood flooring or laminate flooring is more appropriate for your space, lifestyle, and budget, there are several important factors that need to be taken into consideration.  For most consumers, concerns such as durability, ease of installation, and cost are almost always listed.  That being said, both laminate and hardwood bring a fairly equal number of pros and cons to the project table, and we hope that you will find this article to be a helpful guide to narrowing down which is a better option for your specific space.

First and foremost, taking into consideration both the look and feel that you would like to achieve is usually a primary concern, and both laminate and hardwood products have the capability of infusing a space with a great deal of warmth.  Really, it’s pretty much a tie.  The tie-breaker?  Well, it really is hard to mimic the look of hardwood perfectly.  So, if true authenticity is important to you, springing for a hardwood installation is, hands down, the way to go. 

Another common concern is the anticipated amount of traffic that your new floor will endure.  More times than not, hardwood flooring comes with a longer-standing warranty than laminate flooring; some companies offer them up to 50 years!  However, there are also laminates that come with similar warranties, some of which exceed 30 years.  All in all, it’s vital to research whichever manufacturer you are buying from, and keep in mind that scratched laminate needs to be replaced whereas scratched hardwood can just be refinished.

Moving on, another important factor to consider when deciding between laminate and hardwood is the ease of installation that each variety offers.  Truth be told, in the past, it was standard to nail, glue, or staple hardwood to a sub-floor.  Nowadays, it is possible to “float” hardwood similarly to how laminate is floated.  Even with floating, however, hardwood installations are not ideal for DIY (do–it-yourself) projects, making installation another expense that needs to be considered when purchasing the floor itself.  Much differently, laminate floors are generally DIY friendly and require little to no experience when it comes to installing.

Some other key differences between laminate flooring and hardwood flooring is moisture resistance along with the feeling underfoot that each provides.  To explain, many homeowners decide to install laminate over hardwood simply because they want a hassle-free hardwood look in their kitchens, bathrooms, and any other areas where higher amounts of moisture is experienced.  On that same note, a common complaint with laminate flooring is that walking on them has an unstable feel; typically, there is a lot of movement with a laminate floor whereas hardwoods feel solid and firm. 

Flooring Shown- Armstrong Rustics Premium Laminate

Last and certainly not least, price point is definitely the biggest factor to be considered when purchasing any floor.  Between buying the floor itself and paying to have it installed, hardwood can be a far more expensive flooring option than laminate.  Thankfully, leading manufacturers of laminate flooring work hard to provide products that appear to be authentic which, in turn, affords consumers with a wide selection of inexpensive and viable hardwood alternative.

Put simply, both hardwood and laminate flooring provide many positives and a select few negatives.  If you have any question about other differences between these two great flooring options, please feel free to contact a flooring specialist at 866-705-1340 and they will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.