Locking Hardwood Vs Laminate

Look for wear and tear.

Locking hardwood vs laminate.

For many folks that ends the laminate vs. Laminate flooring generally is less expensive than engineered hardwood. Laminate is also much thinner than engineered wood averaging around 12mm whereas engineered wood tends to be thicker like hardwoods. Engineered wood contains a slice of natural wood on top while laminate uses a photographic layer that is coated with a protective layer.

Laminate is far easier to maintain than engineered wood flooring. Laminate will the cheapest option for you. In a very general sense laminate can cost around 3 5 square foot which is 2x 5x cheaper than hardwood flooring. Twenty years is the time it usually takes for a family to wear down the floor finish.

Natural wood is more prone to dings and scratches so if there are a lot of dents the floor is more likely to be natural hardwood than laminate. Cheaper versions have 1 4 inch cores and the photo reproductions may not be as realistic as more expensive versions. The boards usually 3 4 inch thick are generally milled with a smooth top surface and tongue and groove edges that interlock to hold the boards together. Similarly hardwood is more prone to staining and fading.

It is estimated that on average a laminate floor will need to be replaced after no more than 20 years. Laminate floors have a relatively short life span as compared to hardwood flooring. The normal range for solid hardwood flooring is between 4 to 12 per square foot and its standard cost is 8 per square foot. Caring and maintenance of your flooring is a big consideration especially if you don t want to put a lot of effort into caring for it.

Hardwood flooring cost hardwood flooring is comparatively expensive than laminate flooring. Discover whether wood or wood look is the right pick for your place with this side by side comparison of laminate vs hardwood flooring. Because hardwood floors can last for generations they raise your home s value more than laminate floors. Laminate runs 1 to 7 per square foot depending on the quality.

Some different types of hardwood flooring like oak maple and ash cost from 4 to 5 per square foot. Engineered hardwood is easy to clean but the material also has more holes and grains that can collect dirt while laminate is smooth and easy to wipe clean. Laminates do offer a bonus for handy homeowners.