The major difference between the two-floor finishes is in their composition, Engineered hardwood is made from natural hardwood, and laminate is made from synthetic imitations of hardwood.
Just like most hardwoods, engineered hardwood is thicker than compared to laminate flooring, which is only about 12 mm thick. But the question is between the two Which is the right flooring for your home? Before we dive into their differences let’s see about the composition of the two floors in detail.
Composition of Laminate Flooring
From a distance, laminate flooring looks realistic, but on close inspection, you can notice that it is synthetic. It consists of a back layer, core layer, design layer, and wear layer.
The wear layer is the topmost layer made out of aluminum oxide and is responsible for protecting the floor against stains and surface burns.
The design layer is a photographic applique layer that resembles wood or sometimes stone. It gives the floor its rich aesthetic value.
The core layer is placed above the back layer. It is made of melamine resin and high-density fibreboard. It makes the floor durable and protects it from indentations.
The back layer which is the bottom layer protects the laminate planks against moisture and balances the floor.
Composition of Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Engineered hardwood flooring has a more convincing hardwood feel and looks because its topmost layer is made from a thin slice of natural hardwood. It is composed of two layers that are compressed together to form a solid core.
The hardwood veneer wear layer: Also called lamella, this is a thin top skin of engineered hardwood flooring that comes from a slice of natural hardwood.
The bottom & core layers: it is composed of 3-12 multiple layers made from hardwood, soft plywood, or fibreboard glued and pressed together to form a tongue and grooved feature along the edges.
Engineered Hardwood vs Laminate Flooring-Overview
| Engineered hardwood flooring | Laminate flooring | |
| Durability | An estimated span of over 30 years. | An estimated span of 25 years. |
| Appearance | Natural hardwood surface | Clear imitation of hardwood |
| cost | More expensive than laminate flooring | Affordable |
| Resale value | Best resale value as compared to laminate flooring. | No high resale value |
| Ease of installation | Requires pro installation as it is nailed down or glued down | Easy to install. Floating floor with interlocking grooves. |
| Repairs | Time-consuming and costly to repair | Easy and quick to repair being a floating floor. |
| Scratch resistance. | Easily scratched by pet nails and is hard to remove. | The top layer is scratch-resistant. |
Durability/ Life Expectancy
Engineered hardwood flooring is thicker and has a hardwood layer, which makes it more impact resistant as compared to laminate flooring. However, the natural hardwood is prone to rotting if properly taken care of it could last almost 100 years.
Laminate flooring has a tough wear layer that is scratch resistant and does not warp easily, but after about 20 years once the wear layer is gone, it can’t be refinished.
Engineered hardwood flooring, on the other hand, depending on the thickness of the veneer layer, can be refinished a few times to extend its life span.
Verdict: Engineered hardwood flooring has a toughness that can withstand unexpected events, this makes it more durable compared to laminate flooring.
Appearance
Being made from natural hardwood, engineered hardwood flooring looks better compared to its synthetic counterpart laminate flooring.
Top-quality laminates (usually 12 mm thick) have a more realistic hardwood feel, but still don’t match the natural hardwood.
Just like hardwood floors, the veneer of engineered hardwood is likely to fade, It should therefore be regularly cleaned and taken good care of, to maintain its gorgeous, exotic wood look over the years.
Verdict:
Laminate flooring offers a wide variety of colors, textures, and designs to choose from, but still can’t beat engineered hardwood on realism because it is made from real natural hardwood.
Cost.
Both laminate and engineering hardwood flooring offer a wide range of varieties to choose from and the price changes according to the AC rating, texture, thickness, style, and the brand that you choose.
Here is a table that shows a comparison in prices per square foot of the different qualities of both finishes available in the market.
| Flooring | low | mid | high |
| Laminate flooring | $1.99 | $3 | $5 |
| Engineered hardwood flooring | $4 | $8 | $12 |
Verdict:
Laminate flooring is cheaper compared to engineered hardwood flooring.
Resale Value
In some cases, installing laminate flooring has led to bringing down the resale value of some properties, however, some high-end laminates can moderately raise the resale value in some homes.
Laminate flooring has been widely used by many homeowners over the years because it is a better economic choice. Being commonly used however does not impress prospective homebuyers.
Engineered hardwood flooring, on the other hand, due to its classic appeal and good quality mean an assured life span which is a factor that makes many buyers will opt for it, therefore, the resale value of a property increases.
Verdict:
Engineered hardwood flooring will increase the resale value of your property as compared to laminate flooring. Good quality flooring equals to increase in property value.
Ease of Installation
Laminate flooring is DIY-friendly. It is lightweight and the planks interlock easily with each other.
Being a floating floor, no adhesives or nailing down is required, meaning it can be installed and used on the same day as it needs no time to set.
Engineered hardwood flooring on the other hand, when installed on concrete slabs, needs gluing, nailing down, and precision cutting which is not DIY friendly because the planks are too thick and hard to cut.
The thicker the flooring, the more difficult it is to manage.
The more difficult it is to install the more it attracts higher installation fees.
Verdict:
Engineered hardwood flooring is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to install compared to laminate flooring.
Pet Friendly
On engineered hardwoods, pets can easily make scratches with their nails, and their urine odor is hard to remove.
Laminate flooring, on the other hand, has a top layer made from aluminum oxide, which makes it scratch-resistant. However, if moisture caused by accidents seeps into the seams, the damage can be brutal, being a floating floor.
It is therefore important to make sure any spillage is immediately dealt with.
Verdict:
Laminate flooring is less prone to pet damage as compared to engineered hardwood flooring.
Comfort-ability
Both laminate and engineered hardwood flooring feel very comfortable to walk on. However, laminate flooring when installed on an uneven subfloor tends to flex.
You might also notice click sounds produced by walking with heels or pet nails annoying in laminate flooring because the top has a plastic-like material.
Engineered hardwood flooring, on the other hand, is thicker and is nailed down therefore, it does not flex or produce clicking sounds. Its thickness makes it soundproof.
Verdict:
Both engineered hardwood and laminate flooring feel really comfortable underfoot, however, in soundproofing, engineered hardwood is a winner.
Laminate Flooring vs Engineered Hardwood Flooring Pros and Cons
Laminate Flooring Pros and Cons
| Laminate flooring | |
| PROS | CONS |
| Affordable | On close inspection, it is an obvious simulation of natural hardwood because of the high gloss appearance |
| It is easy to clean and wipe | It does not last long compared to other hardwood floors. |
| It is scratch and impact resistant | It is prone to water damage being a floating floor. |
| Easy to install. DIY friendly | It has synthetic materials that emit volatile compounds. Only 80 % of it is a recyclable material. |
| If installed well it is nearly waterproof | Has low or zero resale value for your property. |
| Easy to care for and maintain | The wear layer once gone cannot be refinished to increase its life expectancy. |
Engineered Hardwood Pros and Cons
| Engineered hardwood flooring | |
| PROS | CONS |
| It has a gorgeous exotic and classic look. Indistinguishable from natural hardwood | The top veneer is prone to fading if not properly taken care of and cleaned. |
| It has a high property resale value. | It is quite expensive. |
| It is environmentally friendly.100 % recyclable | It is expensive and difficult to install. |
| The top veneer can be refinished several times to last longer. | Scratches and pet scents are difficult to remove. |
| Has a high life expectancy of close to 100 years. | It requires time after installation for the glue to set. |
| It is moisture resistant. | |
| It is strong, tough, and has high impact resistance. |
Top Brands to Choose From.
| Engineered hardwood flooring | Laminate flooring. |
| Mohawk and PERGO | Mohawk and PERGO |
| Armstrong | Armstrong flooring |
| Bruce | Shaw floors |
| Somerset | Tarkett |
| Anderson | Acquaguard laminate flooring |
Laminate vs Engineered Hardwood, Which one is Best?
When looking for flooring that has an exotic, classic, and one that has genuine hardwood feel, then engineered hardwood flooring is the best choice for you. It is long-lasting and yields a high resale value for developers.
On the other hand, if you don’t care so much about the appearance, you can settle for laminate flooring which comes at a relatively cheaper price and whose cost of installation and maintenance is lower.
Overall, engineered hardwood flooring is better compared to laminate flooring. It has more advantages than disadvantages and if the price is not a bother to you then this flooring is the way to go.
FAQS:
Q: Can you refinish engineered hardwood?
A: Yes engineered hardwood floors can be refinished.
Also read: Best Laminate floor cleaners