Is Engineered Wood Same As Laminate

Engineered wood contains a slice of natural wood on top while laminate uses a photographic layer that is coated with a protective layer.

Is engineered wood same as laminate. 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. 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. The natural top layer makes engineered wood just as durable as traditional hardwood and provides the same classic timeless look. The primary advantage engineered wood has over laminate is that it is a much more convincing replica of real hardwood flooring.

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. Since engineered wood looks feels and walks like a solid hardwood it has a premium price compared to a laminate floor. 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. Laminate and engineered wood floors are both very popular alternatives to hardwood floor but they are not created equal.

If you re seeking an alternative to hardwood but laminate doesn t sound like the material for you consider engineered wood or luxury vinyl. 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. In fact this couldn t be further from the truth. Both floor coverings were developed as economical and versatile alternatives to that mainstay of flooring material solid hardwood flooring.

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. The best way to describe engineered hardwood flooring is to think of it like a hybrid car. Laminate is also much thinner than engineered wood averaging around 12mm whereas engineered wood tends to be thicker like hardwoods. Engineered hardwood is more of an investment.

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. 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 a little bit of laminate and a little bit of hardwood. There s real confusion between engineered wood flooring and laminate flooring.

While both of these flooring options have their pros and cons confusing one with the other is like confusing apples with.