LAMINATE - VS - WOOD FLOORING
Solid Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood is 100% wood (unlike engineered wood, which has a plywood base).
Do It Yourself Installation:
Moderate difficulty for non-professionals to install. Rental of special tools such as a floor stapler is required.
Cost:
Believe it or not, good quality oak, maple, cherry and ash solid hardwood goes for $2.50 to $4.00 / sq. ft. Wider format plank flooring of the same species and narrower flooring of exotic species go for $4.00 to $7.00 / sq. ft.
Durability:
Hardwood flooring will last a lifetime and more.
Refinishing and Sanding:
Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished multiple times. Pre-finished hardwood, due to the sheer toughness of the factory-applied urethane finish, can be very difficult to refinish the first time.
Resale Value:
Well-maintained hardwood floor has better resale value than laminate.
Appearance:
Solid hardwood floor is highly attractive. Even cheaper species of real hardwood (red or white oak) can be more attractive than laminate's artificial "premium" exotic species.
Below-Grade Installation:
It is not recommended to install solid hardwood flooring below-grade.
Moist Environment:
Never install solid hardwood in a moist environment. Solid hardwood can be used in kitchens. Site-finished hardwood vs pre-finished works better as the sealant fills gaps between the floorboards, preventing moisture from infiltrating.
Underlayment:
Install with red rosin paper under the wood.
Install Over Radiant Heating:
Recommended using quarter or rift sawn lumber, or board widths of 3” or less. These boards deal with the expansion and contraction better. Also solid hardwood's natural insulating properties lessen the need for radiant heating in general.
Pets:
Wood tends to gouge. Purchasing more expensive and harder hardwoods and laying down mats can help mitigate this problem.
Impact Resistance:
Excellent. Solid hardwood can tolerate the most brutal impacts.
Unusual Things To Expect:
Wood may contract--or shrink--leaving gaps between boards.
Buy It If:
You are aiming to put maximum value into your house, not just for yourself but for future owners. These floors will last decades and will continue to add beauty to your home for generations.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate is thin fiberboard topped with an image of wood or stone, itself topped with a transparent wear layer.
Do It Yourself Installation:
Very easy. Most types of laminate flooring snap together--no glue. No special tools are needed.
Cost:
Decent quality laminate can be purchased for about $3.00 per square foot and up. Thinner laminate can be had for less money but at the cost of poorer appearance.
Durability:
Expect 10 years of use.
Refinishing and Sanding:
Laminate flooring cannot be refinished or sanded. When it is ruined, replacement is the only cure.
Resale Value:
Some premium laminate flooring has moderate resale value.
Appearance:
From a distance, quality laminate flooring can look much like real wood. Higher quality laminates have a lower frequency of pattern repetition, too.
Below-Grade Installation:
While laminate flooring can be installed below-grade, it is still not the best flooring for basements.
Moist Environment:
Similar to the question above, laminate behaves moderately well in semi-moist areas such as lightly used bathrooms and kitchens.
Underlayment:
Install with a Foam underlayment.
Install Over Radiant Heating:
Yes.
Pets:
Laminate is an excellent floor to install in a house with pets. Its wear layer performs well against dog claws.
Impact Resistance:
Moderately well. If an object is heavy enough and hits laminate with sufficient force, the floor will be gouged all the way down to the fiberboard base. Laminate can also crack under such force.
Unusual Things To Expect:
Laminate flooring can build up static, a phenomenon that can be cured with regular cleaning.
Buy It If:
You want your floor to be simple to install, cheap, and easy to maintain.