- Hardwood flooring is made from different types of hardwoods. Wood flooring can come in different types of wood species that can be sanded and stained different colors. Most solid hardwood floors are typically 3/4 inch thick to 5/16 inch think. Many times, they are installed in a tongue-and-groove system that interlocks the individual pieces together. They are typically made up of planks ranging from a few inches wide up to 6 inches wide. Not all hardwood floors are the same because of the type of wood that is used. The durability of the hardwood is dependent on the species of wood chosen for the flooring.
- Laminate flooring has not been around for as long as hardwood flooring. It has only been used in the past 30 years or so. It is a modern invention that is meant to look like natural wood flooring or natural stone, but it is made up of synthetic materials that are combined to create a decorative finish. Laminate flooring has a dense inner core and a glued-on outer layer. They are typically made to look like natural hardwood flooring but are meant to be able to resist many things that a natural hardwood floor cannot. Laminate flooring can come in the same sizes as hardwood flooring and in the same thicknesses. Laminate flooring is not limited to replicate hardwood floors. There are many different patterns and styles to choose from, including natural stone and other synthetic materials.
- While hardwood flooring has many advantages, it cannot resist staining, wear, fading, and is not water-resistant like laminate flooring is. Laminate flooring is also a fraction of the cost of natural hardwood flooring and requires less maintenance over the years. Hardwood flooring has a long-standing image of being very easy to maintain and can resist wear. Hardwood floors are nice because you can always sand them down and re-stain them a different color if you decide to change the look of it later. You cannot change the stain color of laminate flooring without changing the entire floor completely. While laminate flooring tends to resist wear better, hardwood flooring lasts longer and can be viewed as being more durable then laminate flooring.
- Hardwood floors can be nailed down to a subfloor, glued down, or floated on top of the subfloor. Most laminate floors are floated on top of a subfloor or glued down. Both types of flooring are a tongue-and-grove system that interlocks the individual planks together. Laminate flooring does not have as many limitations on where it can be installed versus hardwood flooring.
- The cost of hardwood flooring depends on the type of wood, thickness and size of the planks. Laminate flooring will typically be a fraction of the cost of hardwood flooring. You may be able to find laminate flooring for a few bucks a square foot, while hardwood flooring can easily start as $7 a square foot.
