Engineered Hardwood vs Laminate

When you want the look of natural hardwood flooring in your home, you can choose between engineered hardwood and remarkably realistic-looking wood laminate. Both engineered hardwood and laminate make long-lasting and beautiful floors, with laminate looking exactly like the wood species from which it takes inspiration. Both hold up well in active households, including those with kids and pets. Both are easy to clean with just regular sweeping and damp mopping.

Likewise, there are a few differences. Laminate can go anywhere in the house while engineered hardwood is not recommended for frequently damp areas like bathrooms and basements. In cost considerations, engineered hardwood boards do cost more than laminate, yet that distinction deserves a closer look.

Here are the facts concerning the cost of engineered hardwood vs. laminate that may make your buying decision a little easier.

Is hardwood more expensive than laminate?

This question can be answered by looking at three factors: cost, floor life and resale value.

COST
The cost of quality engineered hardwood ranges from Rs.350 – Rs.650 per sq. ft., uninstalled. Installation costs depend on local rates of engineered hardwood flooring installers. For rough estimating, however, figure the cost to be Rs.15 per sq. ft., slightly less than the cost of the laminate.

The quality Laminate flooring costs range from Rs.100 – Rs.235 per sq. ft., uninstalled, with the higher cost reflecting better quality, more realistic-looking designs. The cost to install laminate depends on local area labor rates, is typically Rs.10 per sq. ft.

*These estimates are generalizations for the sake of comparison and don’t include associated costs such as the removal of an existing floor, product delivery, skirting and moldings.

FLOOR LIFE
How long a floor will last depends on wear, tear and maintenance. Under ideal conditions, laminate floors typically last 20 – 30 years while engineered hardwood floors can easily last a lifetime. The significant difference in life cycles is explained by the fact that laminate floors cannot be refinished when they get damaged or show signs of wear. Engineered hardwood floors, on the other hand, can be rejuvenated with sanding and refinishing, not only once but 2 – 4 times during the floor’s life.

RESALE VALUE
An engineered hardwood floor is considered an investment because it often dictates higher resale value when it comes time to sell your home. Prospective buyers will recognize the level of quality you chose. Laminate, on the other hand, may look like genuine hardwood, but it doesn’t have the same market appeal.

VERDICT
So, what’s the best choice when comparing the cost of engineered hardwood vs. laminate? After considering the total cost, floor life and resale value factors, engineered hardwood flooring is an excellent value.



Leaders Floors [About Us]

At Leaders Floors, we deliver top quality and customized solutions for Interior and Exterior Flooring Concepts. We have a wide range of products and designs to choose from, manufactured using best technology in the world. We have developed unique abilities with vast product knowledge and trade experience of offering right service and value for money to our clients.

Customer Care: 98710.71222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in

History of Flooring

History of Flooring From across the World


Earthen Floor [since the beginning of time]

Hard-packed dirt, topped with thin layer of straw for warmth and comfort. In medieval times, almost all peasants housing had earthen floors. It was predominant in most houses until the mid-14th century in Europe.

Earthen floors have been developed and are now used as a part of a 'green building' movement. Linseed oil is used to seal the floor and protect it from wear and tear.

Where can you find it now...?
The Roman Amphitheater, London


Stone Floor [since the beginning of time]

Formed deep beneath the surface under intense heat and pressure. This heat and pressure created massive blocks of natural stones like marble, granite, limestone, slate and travertine used then and now as flooring.

Enormous blocks of limestone and granite were used to construct Step Pyramids in Egypt, the oldest remaining structures created entirely out of natural stones..

Where can you find it now...?
The Great Pyramid, Giza


Concrete Floor [created 5600 BC]

A mixture of broken stone or gravel, sand, cement and water, which can be spread and poured into molds and forms a stone like mass on hardening.

The ancient Romans used a material that is remarkably close to modern cement to build many of their architectural marvels, such as Colosseum, Rome.

Where can you find it now...?
The Roman Pantheon, Rome


Carpet Floor [created 5000 BC]

A floor covering made of thick woven fabric. Carpets were primarily used to decorate walls or tables until Persian rugs became popular in Europe in the early 17th century.

A few hundred years later, the United States carpet industry came into being when William Sprague started the first woven carpet mill in Pennsylvania in 1971.

Where can you find it now...?
The Pazyryk Carpet


Ceramic Tiles [created 4000 BC]

A tile made from clay that has been permanently hardened by heat, often having a decorative glaze. The Romans introduced tile-making in Western Europe as they occupied territories. However, the art was eventually forgotten in Europe for centuries until the 12th century when Cistercian monks developed a method of making encaustic floor tiles with inlaid patterns for cathedral and church floors.

Tiles were not made again in Europe until almost the mid-19th century.

Where can you find it now...?
The Vatican, Rome


Hardwood Floor [created 1600 AD]

The wood from a broadleaved tree (such as oak, ash or beech) as distinguished from that of conifers. Hardwood got its start as unfinished planks supported by wooden joists over dirt or stone but developed style and elegance during the Baroque Era (1625-1714).

European parquet floors began to appear in the wealthiest American homes late in the Victorian era (1840-1910) when factories began mass-producing wood floors. The advent of tongue and groove construction in the Edwardian Era (1901-1914) allowed planks to be levelled before installation for a more polished, uniform look, and the look we are still familiar with today began to take shape.

Where can you find it now...?
The Winter Palace, Saint Petersburg


Linoleum/Vinyl Floor [created 1855 AD]

A material consisting of a canvas backing thickly coated with a preparation of linseed oil and powdered cork, used especially as a floor covering.

Linoleum or vinyl flooring had its heyday before World War II but is steadily mounting a comeback. Linoleum was invented by English Fredrick Walton. In 1855, Walton happened to notice the rubbery, flexible skin of solidified linseed oil (linoxyn) that had formed on a can of oil-based paint.

Where can you find it now...?
The Armstrong Pattern Book


Engineered Hardwood Floor [created 1960 AD]

A layered combination that combines a hardwood veneer and plywood substrates.

Engineered hardwood flooring started as 'wood carpeting' in 1903, involving wood strips glued onto heavy canvas. The flooring we now know began in 1960s, and was quickly considered more versatile than solid wood flooring.

Where can you find it now...?
Found in typical family homes


Laminate Flooring [created 1970 AD]

A Multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood (or sometimes stone) with a photographic applique layer under clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials.

Laminate flooring was invented in 1977 by the Swedish company Perstorp.

Where can you find it now...?
Found in budget conscious homes


Leaders Floors [About Us]

At Leaders Floors, we deliver top quality and customized solutions for Interior and Exterior Flooring Concepts. We have a wide range of products and designs to choose from, manufactured using best technology in the world. We have developed unique abilities with vast product knowledge and trade experience of offering right service and value for money to our clients.

Customer Care: 98710.71222
Email: info@leadersgroup.co.in
Website: woodenflooring.leadersgroup.co.in