Home > Home Improvement > Flooring > Hardwood Flooring Comparison Solid vs. Engineered vs. Laminate Hardwood Flooring Homeowners interested in wood floors have more options than ever before. Solid hardwood is, of course, the standard bearer; no other wood flooring product can match its beauty and character. Engineered and laminate floors, however, can be installed in places where hardwood cannot, and they typically come with a lower price tag. This consumer guide from Cost Owl contains detailed information about each product, including pricing, that will help you decide which one is right for your project. This is the real deal: 100% wood planks harvested from trees (whether it be domestic oak, maple, or cherry, exotic zebrawood, teak, or Brazilian cherry, or one of dozens of other species). Once you’ve got a wood species picked out, decide how you want it finished. Light and dark colors, as well as satin, gloss, and semi-gloss finishes, are available. If you choose to go with unfinished planks, rather than those that come prefinished and ready to install from the factory, you’ll be able to fully customize the wood’s appearance, but prefinished planks have a number of finish options that offer excellent protection against UV rays, abrasions, and other leading sources of wear.

You can further personalize the look of wood floors by choosing distressed flooring (made to look antique), reclaimed flooring (actually antique, rescued from old buildings), wide-width planks, and hand-scraped flooring. Wood floors can be refinished (sanded and treated to a new finish coat) a number of times depending on the wood’s initial thickness. Used Industrial Washer And Dryer For SaleThis process allows wood floors with surface damage to last for decades, even centuries. Hard To Lose Weight With Low TestosteroneIndeed, the timelessness and enduring value of solid hardwood are ultimately what make this such a desirable flooring product.Triplex Homes For Sale In Ct Despite its numerous superlatives, wood flooring is not perfect.

For starters, it must be attached to a wood subfloor, so it can only be installed at ground level or above (i.e. no hardwood in the basement). Wood also is vulnerable to changes in humidity. As the wood expands and contracts according to how dry or moist the air is, boards can warp, cup, and even split. And as just about everyone knows, moisture is very damaging to wood. Some of these issues are mitigated by engineered floors, which have a top layer of real hardwood (available in just about any species, style, and color), and a core made from plywood sections laid crossways to each other. This multi-ply construction gives engineered flooring better dimensional stability than solid wood, meaning it is less likely to distort in the face of moisture and temperature change. Engineered products can therefore be used in light-moisture areas such as bathrooms and basements. They can also be installed as a “floating” floor (no subfloor required) or nailed or glued down, providing maximum installation flexibility.

And like real wood, engineered wood can be refinished (albeit fewer times). It’s a stretch to call laminate a type of wood flooring. After all, aside from a wood chip or fiberboard core, it doesn’t contain any real wood. The top layer—which is made to resemble wood—is in fact a printed image. A clear, protective wear layer sits atop the wood grain pattern, while melamine resin binds the flooring together. The main reason why homeowners choose laminates over true wood products is cost. But aside from being significantly cheaper than solid and engineered wood, laminate flooring does offer distinct advantages. First among them is product selection: laminates can closely mimic not only any wood species, but also stone and tile floors. Laminate is also very durable flooring that can be used where homeowners would hesitate to use real wood. If you have kids or pets and are worried about them damaging wood floors, laminate may be the way to go. Laminate flooring does, however, need to be swept or vacuumed regularly, as dirt and grime can act as abrasives on its surface.

This is important to keep in mind because unlike real wood floors, you can’t refinish worn-out laminate floors. But what you can do with laminate is install it as a floating floor. In the case of glueless laminates, installation is as simple as clicking together interlocking sections of flooring and laying them in place, making this a feasible DIY product. An underlayment can be used for increased comfort and noise reduction. The following prices are meant as a general guide only. Actual costs may vary depending on the product selected and your location.Flooring is a major design element in any space and it’s worth investing time, thought and finances to ensure key considerations are covered. Gwen Kenny of Divine Design advises prioritising durability, slip resistance, low maintenance and installing a recessed mat well inside the front door. Neutral colours will work with various colour schemes and inexpensive paper underlay should be used in old houses so dust doesn’t get through floorboards, especially if carpet is being fitted, Kenny says.

While everything from rubber to leather solutions are available, Irish homeowners tend to be fairly grounded in their flooring decisions. Here are the main options: Carpet The go-to solution for many rooms for its toastiness and textures, carpet adds opulence and minimises sound. However, it can stain, smell and aggravate allergy symptoms. “Wool is an indicator of a luxury product. It’s eco friendly, biodegradable and renewable,” says Brendan Cumiskey of TC Matthews Carpets. Many synthetic carpets, he says, are bleach cleanable, making them ideal for elderly people, children and pets. They’re also colourfast and recyclable. “However, a good quality wool carpet will outperform a synthetic version, retaining its look longer.” Companies such as Brintons and Stark are leading the charge in innovation and design, with creative use of colour, design and pattern, says Cumiskey. Twist, the most robust plain carpet, is highly popular with velvet on the luxe list, and textured products also appealing.

Ideal for those on tight budgets seeking a hardwearing floor requiring little or no maintenance. Quality laminate can almost give the look of a solid wooden floor, thanks to manufacturing advances, Kenny says. Underlay should always be used although it may not eliminate noise completely, says Jason Stewart of Restore-ur -Floor. “Laminate is a picture of wood over a centre core of high density fibre board, a harder version of MDF. When wet, it can swell and react in a similar way to Weetabix, and the surface picture can blister,” says Stewart. “Wear and tear can’t be repaired in the way real wood can. Buy quality, as it can be a case of buy cheap, buy twice.” Demand for wood is falling, due to high cost, excessive use of hardwoods and a reputation for possible trouble after installation, Stewart says. In its favour, wood is a good insulator and should last a lifetime. A massive range of hardwood and softwood flooring is available, varying in colour, grain shape and durability.

Hardwood flooring comes in blocks, strips and planks, with finishes including oil or lacquer. Durable hard hardwoods include oak, maple, and teak. Good soft hardwoods, Stewart says, are cherry, walnut and birch. Hard softwoods include pitch pine and larch. Red deal and French pine are soft softwoods. Wood is a renewable sustainable product if from a managed forest, with durable bamboo the most sustainable, says Stewart. Softwood floors, he advises, should be avoided over underfloor heating as they are inclined to shrink. Cherry, walnut and teak are the most suitable hardwoods whereas beech, birch and maple should not be used with underfloor heating, Stewart advises. Homeowners should remember that wood can’t cope with drastic climate changes, he says. Comprising a layer of hardwood with thicknesses from 2mm to 8mm, depending on product quality and price, semi-solid and engineered floors are bonded to a softwood core or base. The process results in a very stable hardwood floor, less likely to be affected by moisture, and more suitable for underfloor heating, Stewart says.

“It can still be sanded and refinished and is more sustainable as it reduces the amount of hardwood required in favour of softwood.” Many see engineered floors as a good all-round alternative to natural wood, says Stewart. “They’re more stable and less likely to cause trouble. They can also be cheaper than a solid floor,” he says. “Engineered floors are often impossible to distinguish from a solid floor when fitted properly. They’re suitable for use with underfloor heating – check for certification. They can also be sanded and refinished.” However, the thickness of the wood layer dictates the number of times it can be sanded. Offering an array of design possibilities, including digitally printed looks and optical illusions, vinyl can be used throughout the house. “A low-maintenance, water-resistant product, vinyl is comfortable, inexpensive, and durable and you can get stain-resistant tiles and sheets. It’s easy to install and tiles can be replaced individually,” Kenny says.

However, vinyl can release volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) after installation and can cause ecological waste problems, she says. “Subfloor damage causes rips and tears over time and vinyl chemical stains can be a problem, with discolouration after contact with rubber,” she says. “Vinyl can be difficult to repair; there can be yellowing effects; and it may pose a toxic fire hazard.” Seek sustainability credentials – Amtico’s high-end products are certified by independent bodies to be of the lowest level of VOC emissions for indoor air quality. An alternative to conventional flooring materials is marmoleum, made from natural raw materials, available from companies such as Forbo. and easy to clean. It comes in tile, sheet and click format, with a palette of colours and textures. Topshield 2 natural coating adds to durability as it can dent, scuff and stain. Tiles offer endless customisation possibilities, in different types, colours, sizes and finishes. They’re water-resistant, durable and easy to maintain with various pricepoints, says Kenny.

She usually specifies matte tiles to reduce risk of slipping. Porcelain represents the majority of tiles on sale, says Sean Kirk of National Tile. “Very little ceramic is being manufactured and there’s a real shift away from natural stone due to the quality of reproductions in porcelain,” says Kirk. Inkjet technology has had a major impact on tile and stone offerings, he says. Drawbacks include the chill factor when not used with underfloor heating. Durable and easy to maintain, concrete is versatile and longlasting, with numerous design possibilities in colour and texture, Kenny says. “However, its hardness can be a downside – it can be uncomfortable and cold. Moisture and damp can be a problem if not properly sealed. While concrete is a natural material, the manufacturing process isn’t environmentally friendly,” she says. Seamus Redmond of Wexford-based Renobuild, specialists in polished concrete and overlays, says byproducts of the steel and coal industry, used instead of cement, reduce embodied carbon.