Laminate and wood flooring materials are both wise options for homeowners ready to replace outdated carpeting. But how do you decide which choice is best for your home? Rely on the flooring experts at Creative Floors to help you make this important decision.
Laminate or Wood Flooring: Which is Best For Your Orlando-Area Home?
First, we want to point out that when we talk about wood flooring, we’re talking about vinyl plank (LVP) or engineered hardwood rather than traditional “real” hardwood floors. Natural hardwood is not the best option for our moisture-rich climate, and you can read more about that in our post about why natural hardwood options are better suited for northern homes.
Laminate, vinyl plank, and engineered hardwood are good options for our climate, but the right choice largely depends on your lifestyle, the space in which it will be installed, and your budget.
Laminate Floors
Laminate flooring is popular because it can be more affordable than engineered hardwood but has a similar look and feel.
Here at Creative Floors, we sell waterproof laminate flooring that works just as well in living rooms and formal dining rooms as it does in kitchens, bathrooms, and other “wet” rooms in the house.
Laminate flooring planks have a triple layer of protection.
- Melamine bottom layer (backing) that creates a moisture barrier from the subfloor.
- Resin-injected, high-compression fiberboard in the middle. Resins protect the interior layer of compressed fibers from absorbing too much moisture if spills or accidents aren’t noticed or cleaned up right away.
- The top layer is a printed pattern replicating any wood species and stain you prefer. It is coated with an aluminum oxide finish, which is harder than the urethane coating on vinyl planks.
If pets run through the house, or members of your household wear high-heeled shoes, that hard top layer will hold up longer over time than its vinyl plank alternative. That said, its slightly harder surface means it won’t be as sound-absorptive as other options.
Vinyl Plank Flooring
Vinyl planks are also popular and make sense for many Florida households. The planks are fairly resistant to moisture and water but won’t hold up as well as laminate if moisture is a more constant presence or if there’s a chance of wet spills or accidents that won’t be found for a while.
These planks are made using:
- A wood polymer core that has some level of moisture protection from the polymers that bind the wood fibers together.
- A high-resolution printed layer that’s like the one used for laminate flooring. In this case, the faux wood image is finished with a protective layer of urethane.
Urethane is softer than aluminum oxide, but it still does a very good job protecting the planks from everyday wear and tear. It also protects the top layer from water damage and is easy to clean and maintain.
Depending on your household and lifestyle, we may recommend vinyl plank for some areas of the house, and other options for rooms that experience more moisture or daily traction from shoes and paws.
Engineered Hardwood
If you had your heart set on natural hardwood, engineered hardwood may be a compromise.
While both laminate and vinyl planks are excellent at replicating hardwood species, engineered hardwood incorporates thin layers of real wood into the top layer and is cut the most like a traditional wood plank would be.
Depending on the thickness of the top (wear layer), you may even be able to sand and refinish engineered hardwood once or twice in its lifetime.
Engineered hardwood planks are made from:
- Pieces of plywood cut to replicate wood planks.
- A top layer consisting of a thin veneer of real wood in various stains, topped by a water—and stain-resistant coating.
The product’s durability depends on its quality, the thickness of the wear layer, and your attention to maintaining low humidity levels in your home. Failure to monitor interior humidity can lead to warping of the product.
Learn More About Laminate & Hardwood Options at Creative Floors
While this is a good general guide comparing laminate and wood floor options, nothing compares with an in-person consultation with a design pro at Creative Floors.
Schedule an in-home consultation or visit us in one of our showrooms to learn more about whether laminate or wood floors are best for your home, lifestyle, and budget.
