Laminate Flooring vs Engineered Wood Flooring

As cost-effective alternatives to solid wood flooring, both laminate flooring and engineered wooden flooring have their advantages and their drawbacks. It is safe to say however that the notion that either laminate flooring or engineered wood flooring is sub-par is outdated as technological advances in both has improved both the look and the quality of both these types of flooring. In this article we will look at the relative advantages and disadvantages of Laminated vs engineered wood flooring in particular concerning cost, appearance, lifespan, durability and how each can affect the resale value of your property among other things.

Laminate flooring vs Engineered Wood Flooring

Appearance

The key difference between engineered wood flooring and laminate flooring is that engineered wood flooring has a top layer of solid wood. Laminate flooring has a top layer that is a photographic representation of wood. Despite amazing advances in laminate flooring, under close inspection or scrutiny or even to a more than casual observer laminate flooring does not have the same appearance as solid wood. Engineered wooden flooring, on the other hand, has solid wood as its top, visible layer so is virtually indistinguishable from a solid wood floor.

Cost

Laminate flooring certainly has a lower initial outlay than engineered wooden flooring with prices peaking at around £38 per square metre but starting from as little as £15. Comparatively, engineered wooden flooring starts at around £38 per square metre and can be as much as £200 per square metre. These prices depend on wood species and the size of the planks including thickness and quality. The costs of either flooring material escalate if you don’t plan to lay your engineered wood or laminate flooring yourself, as the cost of hiring a professional to fit the floor is likely to be upwards of £30 per hour and would need to be factored into the cost. People more commonly fit laminate flooring themselves, but some types and brands of engineered wooden flooring feature clip-together technology which makes fitting engineered wood floors an easy task for anyone with a moderate degree of DIY skills. It is important though to also consider the lifespan of the floor when considering cost as well. Which we cover in the next section.

Floor Lifespan

Engineered wood has the durability of solid wood and has the added bonus of being able to withstand at least one sanding during its lifetime. This means that dependent on use and maintenance an engineered wooden floor can last up to 50 years. A laminate floor can be expected to last around 20 years depending on care and use.

Floor Comfort and Sound

The underlay beneath laminate flooring does provide a bounce, which means that it provides a softer landing for little ones learning to walk for example. This type of flooring is also more soundproof than engineered wood flooring unless the latter has a soundproof underlay fitted.

Water and Heat

Neither laminate nor engineered wood will cope well with wet or humid conditions especially if moisture is allowed to penetrate beneath the protective surface layer or finish. However, both are suitable for properties with underfloor heating and both have a certain degree of water resistance if spills are cleaned up quickly.

Care and Cleaning

Keeping both types of flooring clean and well cared for is easy. Keeping both laminate and engineered wood dust and detritus free will help to avoid scratches and other surface damage so sweeping daily or as needed is recommended, especially for engineered wood. Mopping with a damp, not wet, mop and a manufacturer-recommended cleaner is the best way to keep laminate and engineered wood clean. We recommended using a specifically designed wood mop for your engineered floors. Cleaning up spills straight away on both types of flooring will help to prevent liquid from seeping into the wood and composite wood which may cause warping, swelling or other damage.

Durability and Maintenance

Both laminate and engineered wood flooring are extremely durable and, where laminate pips engineered wood flooring with durability, engineered wood claims a point right back because it can be repaired by sanding in case of minor damage. Laminate flooring, if damaged, would need to be replaced.

Installation

As aforementioned, many people are still under the impression that laminate flooring is the far easier option when it comes to installation. However, with click-and-lock engineered wooden flooring and the thorough installation guides that come with each floor such as all of those stocked by us at Wooden Floors UK engineered wooden floors couldn’t be easier to lay.

Sizes

Both laminate and engineered wooden flooring can be purchased in a variety of sizes.

Home Resale Value

Although ‘engineered wooden flooring’ does not have quite the same impact for potential buyers when reading about your property as ‘solid wood floors’ does because the visual look is practically identical engineered wood flooring still boosts the saleability of your property and potentially adds value too. In general, the impact of engineered wooden flooring far surpasses laminate flooring. The latter is unlikely to be mentioned as a plus point when it comes to selling your home. The former almost definitely would.

Environmental Friendliness

There are so many factors to consider when thinking of the environmental impact of engineered wood vs laminate flooring it is an almost impossible task to cover everything. However, we’ll dip into some of the environmental credentials of each type of flooring. For laminate flooring no solid wood is used so technically no slow-growth trees are harvested in its manufacture. However, for many especially, cheaper laminates, the sources of the wood used in the fibre boards are not necessarily sourced sustainably. An added environmental cost and potential health hazard are chemicals used in the process of manufacturing laminate flooring which often include VOCs (volatile organic compounds) including formaldehyde. With engineered wooden flooring especially including all of the engineered wooden flooring we stock at Wooden Floors UK the solid wood veneer used is sustainability sourced and the composite board beneath is most commonly created from recycled wood or the by-products of solid wood flooring manufacture. Furthermore, the quality engineered wood flooring brands such as those Wooden Floors UK offer and recommend adhere to the highest standards when it comes to the environment including the use of VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

Which is the Best?

Considering all the factors presented here the best flooring when it comes to laminate vs engineered wood will depend on your individual needs. If short-term cost is your only, or largest consideration then laminate flooring is probably going to be the better choice for you. However, for longer-term cost effectiveness including adding value to your property is important to you then engineered wood is the best flooring solution for you. Engineered wood is, aesthetically speaking, the better choice too although on many of the other points such as environmental concerns, comfort and soundproofing the differences are negligible or at least tend to balance out. If you would like more information or to see our range of engineered wooden flooring to help you to make up your mind then head over to our retail pages, or get in touch with us at Wooden Floors UK.