Is Engineered Wood The Same As Laminate

Engineered wood flooring.

Is engineered wood the same as laminate.

Then a transparent wear layer is applied to protect the surface. Laminate flooring is a fully man made material that consists of several layers. Laminate flooring and engineered hardwood floors are very similar and often get confused but there are some key differences to take into consideration when comparing the two floors. Since the top veneer is real hardwood it is completely unique to each plank with real knots and unique grain with no pattern repeats like some laminates.

It s a little bit of laminate and a little bit of hardwood. Laminate and engineered wood floors are both very popular alternatives to hardwood floor but they are not created equal. You can obtain beautiful exotic wood species at a much lower price when compared to solid hardwood because engineered wood only uses a thin veneer layer. It s core is usually plywood or high density fibreboard hdf and the top layer is composed of a of hardwood veneer which is glued atop the core to mimic nearly any species of hardwood.

Engineered hardwood is more of an investment. The cost will also depend on the type of wood veneer used in it. Laminate is also much thinner than engineered wood averaging around 12mm whereas engineered wood tends to be thicker like hardwoods. Since engineered wood looks feels and walks like a solid hardwood it has a premium price compared to a laminate floor.

Neither brings the high value prestige of solid hardwood engineered hardwood or designer ceramic tile or natural stone floors. The base is fiberboard with a photographic image layer bonded over the top. Plywood is less expensive than the solid wood but it will be more expensive than both of other two types of engineered woods. Engineered wood flooring has a similar construction as laminate except the top decorative layer is a thick veneer of real wood protected by a coating of a clear acrylic.

Quality laminate flooring and vinyl flooring lend a comparable amount of value to a home. This is because the top layer is actual real hardwood. The natural top layer makes engineered wood just as durable as traditional hardwood and provides the same classic timeless look. At the same time quality laminate or vinyl flooring usually will not put off prospective home buyers.

Although they are made from similar materials they have key differences that make one option better than the other depending on where the flooring is going in your home. Engineered wood contains a slice of natural wood on top while laminate uses a photographic layer that is coated with a protective layer. The main difference between the two floors is that engineered hardwood floors have an actual hardwood surface but structurally they are very similar to a laminate.