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What is the difference between laminate wood and engineered wood floors?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Laminate Vs Vinyl
LAMINATE: is a relatively new creation, introduced about 30 years ago by Perstorp in Sweden. It is basically a Formica type Melamine surface laminated (Glued) to a very dimensionally stable and harder than hardwood; fiberboard substrate.
Usually shipped in + or- 25 sq ft boxes of planks about 8"X49" depending on the vendor.
Today the edges are finely micro milled to fit/click together without glue or nails. The floor is pieced together at the jobsite much like Tongue & groove hardwood has been for centuries. But the laminate needs no nails & just lays in place held down by Gravity & the edge trim like quarter round.
The surface is actually a photograph of whatever you want the floor to look like. Walnut, tile, oak or butterflies if it would sell.
The surface is covered with an extremely hard gel coat, which usually includes minerals such as Aluminum oxide to make it very hard.
The term Floating floor is often used to explain the way Laminate is installed..
VINYL: is a next generation product that replaced Linoleum back in the 60s
the Vinyl process is very simple by today's tech standards. It starts as a high-density paper and it then goes through a 4 color printing process just like a magazine. any pattern & any number of colors.
Most of today's US production is 12' wide rolls by whatever length they want to inventory. In Europe they produce mostly 4 meters wide (13'2 or about). (some very limited production up to 15' is available.
After the print process a PVC coating is applied to the printed-paper to protect and make the product tough & easy to care for.
Laminate is much harder than vinyl or even real hardwood, easier to install, easier to maintain, tougher to take abuse and easier to repair. Vinyl is seamless up to 12', comes in more patterns and is price competitive with Laminate.
o Hardwood: Long considered the "gold standard" in fine homes, a hardwood floor is one of the few floors that really adds to the appraised value of a home as well as the beauty. There are a lot of "species" of wood used and today there are both solid wood floors and great engineered multi-ply wood floors. Not all "hardwood is" truly "hardwood." Pine is a soft wood and Bamboo is technically a "grass." Oak and walnut, cherry and maple are all traditionally used hardwoods. So here's a primmer on the terms used in hardwood.
§ Strip vs. Plank: A board wider than 3' is called a plank, and boards under that are called strip. Wide boards give a casual homey look and strip gives a more formal look.
§ Solid: Refers to wood that is just that one piece of wood from top to bottom. Usually 5/8" to 1 ¼" with a tongue & groove arrangement to fit the pieces together.
§ Engineered: Is basically high tech plywood cut into strips or planks with the top layer of high quality hardwood veneer. Engineered "hardwood" is very moisture tolerant and easier to install. It also will save you a lot of money over solid hardwood. If you are environmentally concerned, engineered flooring uses much less wood and much less of the slow growth trees.
§ Pre-Finished: Putting a finish on a hardwood floor was an art in days gone by. Multiple sandings and filling the voids in the wood, then applying the stain and varnish could take weeks. Today the manufacturer applies high tech urethane finishes in a clean room environment worthy of a computer assembly facility. The tint and clear finish are carefully matched to each batch of wood and the finished product is tough as nails, uniform, and ready for installation.
§ Grading: Be very careful to check the boxes you get when the wood. Most dealers will price you and deliver "SELECT" flooring others will offer better prices but then delivers a lower grade product.
The grading terms may change a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer. Here are the grades in descending order SELECT is the best! Then BETTER, COMMON#1, COMMON #2, CABIN GRADE, and TAVERN GRADE at the low end of the quality scale. The grade is usually stamped right on box so be sure you get what you paid for!
§ Don's helpful hint: Pre-finished, engineered is great hardwood and much easier to install and live with than solid flooring. Some consumers think thicker solid hardwood will wear longer but a hardwood floor will likely outlive all of us so I wouldn't be too concerned about how many times it can be sanded & refinished, let the grandkids worry about that. Common & even tavern grade can be great values, if you are a value shopper look into the difference in price, it might be worth a few "knots or a mineral streak" they add to the character of a floor. Just for the record every flooring dealer I know uses common or cabin grade in their own home!
o Getting it installed: Carpet is the least expensive product to get professionally installed and ceramic is the most expensive. The cost of installation is money well spent on most flooring unless you are a very handy do it your selfer. The tools for flooring are unique and as every "honey-do project engineer" knows it is all about the right tools for the job. Be sure to look at the whole project when you are comparison shopping. Ask one dealer what the labor rate is and they will give you an all inclusive, ask another and the may quote just the minimum service and nickel and dime you to death with add-ons. Most reputable dealers will provide a written estimate, (YOU WANT A WRITTEN ESTIMATE!!), and an on site measurement at no cost. For small jobs or extra trips expect a minimum or trip charge of about $100.
o Here's what you should expect to pay for installation and normal extra charge items:
§ Carpet: about $.50-.60 cents per sq foot.
· Extras for removal of the old flooring, steps, and furniture moving.
§ Vinyl: About $.65-$.80 cents per sq foot.
· Extras for removal of the old, sub floor prep, sub floor materials such as luan, and furniture moving.
§ Laminate: About $2-$2.50 per sq foot.
· Extras include trims, transition molding, and quarter round.
§ Ceramic: About$3.50-$4.00 per square foot.
· Extras for base molding, floor prep, grout, trip charges for the extra trip to grout, patterns, installing cement board underlay, and furniture moving.
§ Hardwood: About $2.00-$3.00 per foot for pre-finished floors.
· Extras include floor prep, custom patterns, transitions, glue, trim moldings, and steps.
Flooring installers are specialists these days. Don't assume that they will unhook plumbing or do carpentry work, like cutting off doors. Most will move furniture and appliances for a fee, they won't unhook electronics or move pool tables or waterbeds make sure your installer knows what you think was agreed to & get it in writing. No one likes a costly surprise. Most installation contractors will do just that they install floors.
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What is the difference between laminate floors and hardwood floors?
Laminate floors are manufactured, a thin layer of wood or Formica is glued to a backer. The surface is only about 1/16th of an inch thick and the whole board is about 3/8 inch thick. Hardwood floors are all wood and 5/8 to 3/4 inch thick. Oak is the most common but there are many different types of wood available. They can be sanded and refinished several times over a long period of time. Laminate can not be sanded and had a hard factory coating that resists staining more than hardwood.
What are engineered hardwood floors used for?
Engineered hardwood floors are sturdy floors, specifically designed by engineers to be used for below-grade installations such as basements. These floors are designed to withstand different temperatures since a basement temperature can vary during the summer versus winter time.
What is the difference between hardwood and engineered wood floors?
Engineered wood floors are made of a plywood with a layer of solid wood on top. These floors allow wood to go where traditionally it could not like a cement sub floors or a sub grade level of your home. Engineered wood is sometimes called a remodel floor because it is more often thinner then solid hardwood. This allows a homeowner to more easily transition between floors that are close in height. They can be refinished, although depending on the thickness of the wood top, it may need to be professionally done. These floors are almost always prefinished. You will find engineered wood floors that are glue down, floating, and staple down. Another benefit of engineered wood is cost. Some more exotic species of wood are very expensive. Engineered woods allow manufactures ways to produce floors in a more budget friendly floor. Solid hardwood floors have time on their side. The tongue and grove style boards have been used in homes for generations. The live expectancy of the floor is 100 + years with proper care. They allow for much easier repair then a laminate or engineered wood and can be easily refinished my an informed DIY. In the past, you only saw solid would in floors 3/4" or even thicker. Today though, there are solid wood floors as thin as 3/8" which allow it to go into an area a ticker floor couldn't. You can find solid wood unfinished if you wish to stain it and polyurethane it yourself or prefinished for quicker installation. Engineered wood floors are made like plywood. They are made up of several layers, mostly of a less expensive wood. The top layer is made of hardwood. Solid hardwood floors, on the other hand are solid hardwood the entire thickness. An engineered wood floor may have only 1/16" or so of hardwood on the surface, where a solid wood floor might be a 1/2" or more. Engineered wood tends to be more stable - it is less likely to move or warp with changes in humidity or temperature. This is because the different layers of wood have the grain running in different directions. They are a good choice over a cement slab floor, and are frequently installed by being glued down.
Is laminate flooring better with or with out backing?
It really makes no difference, except that some form of underlayment or backing is necessary to a successful installation. The existence of a backing already applied to the laminate makes no difference as to the quality of the flooring. But floors installed with no backing or foam or felt underlayment are prone to cracking and splitting, and are very noisy underfoot.
How do you decide between engineered hardwood floors and natural hardwood floors?
If we can nail it down we use (prefinished) hardwood. If we have to glue it down (on slab) we use engineered. You can certainly use engineered in any application whether nail down, glue down, or even floating. There really aren't many compelling reasons to use solid anymore beyond prestige and the fact that is has zero chemical emissions. Engineered can be refinished just like solid, as long as the top veneer is think enough. If you plan to be in your house long enough to refinish the floor, use an engineered with a 3mm+ top veneer.
Is there wax for laminate floors?
No, laminate floors should NEVER be waxed.
Engineered hardwood floors can be floated, but not solid hardwood floors?
Engineered hardwood floors can be floated, but not solid hardwood floors.
What abrasion means in laminate floors?
Laminate floors can be damaged by abrasion: scuffs, scratches and scrapes.
Can I laminate floors for ocean front homes?
You can laminate anything you want.
Do urine stains come out of hardwood laminate floors?
Yes, urine stains do come out of hardwood laminate floors. With a good cleaning, you should be able to remove anything out of laminate floors. That's why is there so widely used.
What is the difference between laminate floors and hardwood floors?
Laminate floors are manufactured, a thin layer of wood or Formica is glued to a backer. The surface is only about 1/16th of an inch thick and the whole board is about 3/8 inch thick. Hardwood floors are all wood and 5/8 to 3/4 inch thick. Oak is the most common but there are many different types of wood available. They can be sanded and refinished several times over a long period of time. Laminate can not be sanded and had a hard factory coating that resists staining more than hardwood.
Do you need to polish laminate floors?
Yes it does
Which would bring more resale value on house hardwood floors or laminate floors?
Hardwood floors.
Is glue or nails preferred for laminate floors?
Nope, It will cause the ;aminate to buckle
Can you use a steam mop on laminate floors?
no :L
Can a hardwood floor be floated?
Engineered hardwood floors can be floated, but not solid hardwood floors.
What product will put a shine on a laminate floor?
You shouldn't use any wet products on laminate floors.
