Is Engineered Wood Same As Laminate

The best way to describe engineered hardwood flooring is to think of it like a hybrid car.

Is engineered wood same as laminate.

If you re seeking an alternative to hardwood but laminate doesn t sound like the material for you consider engineered wood or luxury vinyl. This is because the top layer is actual real hardwood. 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. 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.

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. It s a little bit of laminate and a little bit of hardwood. 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. 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.

There s real confusion between engineered wood flooring and laminate flooring. Laminate is also much thinner than engineered wood averaging around 12mm whereas engineered wood tends to be thicker like hardwoods. In fact this couldn t be further from the truth. The natural top layer makes engineered wood just as durable as traditional hardwood and provides the same classic timeless look.

While both of these flooring options have their pros and cons confusing one with the other is like confusing apples with. It s really common for people to mistakenly assume that they are one and the same thing. Engineered hardwood is more of an investment. Laminate and engineered wood floors are both very popular alternatives to hardwood floor but they are not created equal.

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. Laminate flooring and engineered wood flooring are two obvious choices if you want a flooring that looks like solid hardwood but at a more affordable price. Since engineered wood looks feels and walks like a solid hardwood it has a premium price compared to a laminate floor. 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.