When it comes to modern flooring materials, one of the common errors that many people make is to confuse laminate floors with engineered hardwood – not to mention confusing them both with solid hardwood flooring. Engineered hardwood is different from solid hardwood in many respects, including materials, structural composition and resistance. Below is a detailed analysis of the differences.
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Solid Hardwood Flooring - Milled from a real hardwood species, making it the sole material used in the making of the flooring. For many people, it is best means to achieve warmth, class, and an atmosphere of homey comfort to an interior. For some species, it adds overall structural strength to the building in which it is installed. Uniformity varies depending on grade. Prone to expansion and contraction, warping and cupping when exposed to temperature and moisture level changes. |
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To see more specific information on Solid Hardwood Flooring |
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Laminate Flooring - Laminate flooring is not comprised of any real hardwood species at all. In fact, it composed of several layers which have been fused together to form durable boards. The top layer is transparent and is specially treated to achieve high wear resistance against scratches, burns, dents and stains. The decorative layer (actually a highly rendered photograph, often of a hardwood species) gives a laminate floor its aesthetic look ranging from wood species to ceramic or stone designs. A core layer, made of HDF (high density fiberboard) or MDF (medium density fiberboard), supports the weight and stress of foot traffic and other forms of impact. Strength and stability is further ensured by the bottom stabilizing layer. |
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To see more specific information on Laminate Flooring |
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Engineered Hardwood Flooring - The top or wear layer generally is aluminum oxide and is specially treated to achieve high wear resistance. The second layer is a real hardwood veneer. Core layer made up of stacked layers of plywood, HDF (high density fiberboard) or MDF (medium density fiberboard) lay at 90 degree angles to each other to give the flooring better structural stability and bonded together under heat and pressure. |
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Engineered hardwood floors allow you all of the beauty and organic feel, as well as a greater range of options as far as the location of your installation. It is slightly more resistant to higher moisture levels than solid wood flooring. That is why it is more suitable in high moisture areas or in areas of frequent temperature changes than solid hardwood due to it’s constructed to be more dimensionally stable through multiply design. So engineered hardwood does not warp or cup during climatic changes. It also designed for optimal uniformity. |
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