Laminate vs hardwood flooring is a scenario you may put yourself in when remodeling your home. Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular options for homeowners because of its durability and natural beauty. It truly works with any style of home. However, laminate is a great alternative to hardwood. It’s capable of looking like any wood species on the planet while easily fitting your budget.
Choosing a winner in the laminate vs hardwood flooring fight is difficult because of how perfect they are in different situations. Both of these materials certainly have their place as great flooring options, which is why so many weigh them against each other.
Overview of Laminate vs Hardwood
Laminate is a synthetic flooring material composed of resin and fiberboard. A printed design layer goes on top, which is capable of looking like any wood or stone. Over the design layer, a clear protective layer is added to resist scratches and scuff marks.
Hardwood flooring, also known as solid hardwood, is made of solid wood planks that interlock and are nailed down. The wood is usually installed while unfinished and is later stained. Prefinished hardwood flooring is becoming more popular among homeowners, so it may be something you want to consider.
Lifespan
The lifespan of laminate flooring is about 10 years, with some lasting up to 20 years. Proper care and maintenance can help you prolong the life of your laminate, but in most cases, it will need to be replaced once it hits the end of the expected lifespan.
Hardwood flooring can last up to 100 years. Of course, that is with the necessary care and maintenance. Hardwood is susceptible to moisture, pet marks, and more. These conditions could impact its life but expect 100 years easily.
Beauty
Laminate can certainly look like real wood or stone from a distance. But almost anyone can tell laminate flooring from hardwood when they are up close. Even though it has a wide versatility in what it can look like, laminate is no the best if you want a true wood look.
Hardwood flooring most certainly looks gorgeous in any home. A variety of wood species and stains make it a go-to option for homeowners in today’s age. The real and random wood grains really give hardwood its beauty.
Comfort
The feeling of laminate flooring underneath your foot is certainly synthetic but also comfortable. Since laminate is often installed with an underlayment, it acts as a cushion underneath every step.
Hardwood is solid, so you can’t expect any sort of cushion after it is installed. Since hardwood isn’t usually installed over radiant heat systems, it can be cold to the touch during cooler days.
Cost
Many choose laminate flooring for their home because of how easily it can fit into their budget. The cost of laminate flooring per square footage ranges from $3 to $8, with significantly more advanced options. It is very easy to choose laminate strictly based on cost.
On the other hand, hardwood is a more expensive flooring option at about $6 to $15 per square foot. You could consider cheaper wood species, but they do not reach the average price range of laminate. Higher-end hardwood flooring will drastically rise in price.
Laminate vs Hardwood: You Decide
As you can see, the laminate vs hardwood debate is a difficult fight since both a lot in different situations. If you want to learn more about these flooring options or move forward with installing one of them into your home, contact BetterBuilt Builders. We’ll offer you a free estimate for your flooring installation project. Give us a call today at (408) 752-1069 or visit our contact us page to fill out the form. You may also visit our flooring installation page to learn more about our services and your flooring options.