Hardwood Flooring Versus Laminate Flooring Comparison

Consideration

Hardwood

Laminate

Appearance

Elegant - Class

No two floors are ever identical due to variance in wood grains

Numerous installation patterns and designs can be created

Additional information on hardwood flooring patterns and designs.

Numerous board widths

Domestic & exotic woods

Array of stain colors, gloss factors, edge details

Ornamental insets available

Repeated picture on surface

Available in hardwood, tile and other appearances

Very dependent on product overall finished quality

Typical Warranties

Prefinished:

Structural Integrity - Lifetime

Finish - 3 to 25 years

Unfinished:

Varies dramatically

Wear, fading and staining: 5 to 30 years

Moisture resistance from cleaners and spills: 5 to 30 years

Will not unlock at seams: 0 to 20 years

Note: Warranties vary dramatically between on and off-shore manufacturers.

Life Expectancy

Pending no damage from external sources, the hardwood itself will last for hundred's of years.

Dependent on overall quality of the product life expectancies will vary between 10 and 30 years

Child Friendly

Can be scratched

Liquid spills can damage surface and cause boards to warp and rot

Can be gouged & scratched

Liquid spills can damage surface and cause boards rot

Pet Friendly

Can be scratched

Pet urine can damage surface and cause boards to warp and rot

Can be scratched

Pet urine can damage surface and cause rot

Care & Maintenance

Vacuum & mop using non-wax cleaners

Recoat with polyurethane as needed

Can be refinished - refinishing required every 15 to 25 years

Vacuum, sweep & mop using non-wax cleaners

Installation

Nails, staples or glue

3/4″ or 5/8″ thick: Nail to wood

5/16″ thick: Staple or glue to wood, concrete or existing floor with the exception of carpet

Interlocking floating construction

Requires underlayment

Additional information about laminate flooring underlayment

Interlocking floating construction (no glue needed): Tongue and groove locking

Grade Levels

Below grade only in very dry regions

On grade

Above grade

Below grade

On grade

Above grade

Room Installation

All rooms with following exceptions:

Full & half bathrooms - not recommended - hardwood is very sensitive to humidity fluctuations and water

Below grade basements - not recommended - hardwood may buckle or warp with fluctuations in moisture level

Note: As hardwood scratches consideration should be given to installations in foyers as dirt brought into the home can scratch the surface.

All rooms with following exceptions:

Full & half bathrooms - not recommended - laminate is sensitive to water.

Budgeting

Material cost $3/sq. ft. to $30/sq. ft. - very dependent on quality and dimensions of hardwood boards, finish and species.

Installation cost (contractor):

Prefinished - $2/sq. ft. to $6/sq. ft.

Unfinished hardwood, finished on site - $6/sq. ft. to $10/sq. ft.

Note: Sq. ft. installation prices do not include the material or installation costs of underlayment, or repairs to sub-floors.

Note: Installing hardwood flooring on steps is not included in the pricing.

Additional information on budgeting for hardwood flooring

Material cost $0.75/sq. ft. to $6/sq. ft. - dependent on quality of material and finish

Installation cost (contractor):

$1/sq. ft. to $4/sq. ft.

Note: Sq. ft. installation prices do not include the material or installation costs of underlayment, or repairs to sub-floors.

Note: Installing laminate flooring on steps is not included in the pricing.

DIY Complexity - Scale 1 to 5 with 1 being the easiest.

3/4″ or 5/8″ thick, with nails - 4

5/16″ thick, with glue or staples - 3

Interlocking floating without glue - 2