Solid vs. Engineered vs. Laminate Hardwood Flooring
Compare Solid vs. Engineered vs. Laminate Hardwood
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Perhaps you are looking into installing hardwood flooring in your home but aren’t sure what kind of hardwood flooring to purchase. What is the difference between 100% solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring, and laminate hardwood flooring? How does this relate to cost, durability, and value? We will answer those questions in this article so you can get an idea of the true cost of your new hardwood flooring.
Solid vs. engineered vs. laminate hardwood flooring
- Solid hardwood flooring – This is 100% solid hardwood flooring, through and through. This is the most expensive type of wood flooring on the market. It is also the most authentic. It is simply pure, old fashioned wood boards that are milled in the lumber yard and shipped out to people all over the world.
- Solid hardwood flooring prices - Most solid hardwood flooring costs $3 to $10 per square foot. That encompasses the most commonly purchased kinds of hardwood flooring. For a 15’X15’ room the cost of the flooring materials will be $675 to $2,250. There are many fancy and exotic hardwood flooring materials that go for much higher.
- Engineered hardwood flooring - This type of hardwood flooring is partially wood. The most important part is wood, anyway. Engineered wood flooring is made by gluing real wood on top of a High Density Fiber (HDF) layer. This HDF is made from a dense composite material.
- Engineered hardwood flooring prices - Engineered wood flooring costs $2 to $7. For a 15’X15’ room the cost for materials will range from $450 to $1,575.
- Laminate wood flooring - Laminate hardwood flooring looks like hardwood flooring. It does not actually contain any real wood! Manufacturers make this flooring by taking a high quality photograph of type of wood flooring they are making at the time; red oak, white, pine, Brazilian walnut, etc. This photographic layer is glued onto a High Density Fiber (HDF) layer. The finished product looks like real hardwood flooring. Most people can’t tell the difference upon 1st glance.
- Laminate wood flooring prices - Laminate hardwood flooring costs anywhere from $.69 to $4 per square foot for the materials. This will cost $155.25 to $900 for material stock.
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What is the cost difference between solid, engineered, and laminate hardwood flooring?
There is a dollar value that separates the three types of wood flooring. There is more to the picture than meets the eye. There are cost factors that come into play years down the road that will play a factor in the establishing overall value. Consider the following points before making your final decision.
- 100% solid hardwood flooring will last the longest out of the 3 types of flooring. This is due to the simple fact that you can sand and refinish them multiple times. Once your floors are full or scratches and nicks you can simply have them sanded away and it will be like new again!
- Engineered wood flooring can be sanded and refinished 1 to 3 times. How many times depends on the thickness of the engineered flooring you buy and the extent of the sanding. A buff and recoat will not take off much wood but a full sanding will.
- Laminate hardwood flooring cannot be sanded and refinished at all! What you see is what you get. If you see a scratch or a dent in your laminate wood floors then there is no way to get rid of it.
With regards to property values, 100% solid hardwood flooring will give your property the most value. Engineered will come next. Laminate will be third in value added. If you own a home and decide to sell it at any point your house will fetch a higher price with more expensive wood flooring. If you are renting your property you will be able to rent the unit for a higher dollar amount if you can boast real hardwood flooring.