How to Tell If I Have Real Hardwood Floors

Laminate flooring can be mistaken for actual hardwood floors.

Whether you are considering remodeling certain aspects of your home and want to ensure you have actual hardwood floors or if you are just curious if the floors throughout your home are hardwood, there are a few steps you can take to see if they are real or laminate. Laminate floors are an inexpensive option that many prefer over hardwood. Regardless of your preference, it is always helpful to know what is in your home.

Instructions

1. Look closely at the surface of your floor to see if you have any granular textures or if it is a high-definition image of wooden texture. Laminate flooring does not have any wood within the material at all, so if your flooring looks like a detailed photograph, this is a sure way to tell if your hardwood floors are real.

2. Check along the edges of the floor and along the seams of the floor to see if you see any nails. Hardwood floor is installed with nails, while laminate flooring is installed with the use of glue or a tongue-and-groove method, which is when each piece interlocks with the next, forming a secured floor once all pieces are laid.

3. Inspect the condition of the floor. Hardwood is easily scratched and has a low resistance to abrasion. Laminate flooring has a resin-based coating used as a seal to protect it from a number of abrasions. Also, if you listen to the way the floor sounds when someone if high-heel shoes walks across, you can hear a louder sound with real hardwood floors, which may sound hollow in comparison to that of a laminate floor.

References

• Build Direct: Laminate Flooring Defined: Characteristics of Laminate Floors