Laminate Wood vs. Hardwood Flooring – What You Need to Know!
I can’t deny that hardwood floors are beautiful to look at, warm and inviting, but you can get the same effect with laminated wood for a lot less money and headaches. And in many cases, laminated wood may be the best option. Not only does it look like “wood” but in most situations it will outperform real hardwoods…
Since the inception of laminate wood flooring, improvements have been a constant effort by manufacturers such as Alloc, Mannington and Dupont to make this flooring material the “perfect” product. The “wear” (top) layer is made of aluminum oxide, a shield as strong as steel and penetrating it is nearly impossible.
With hardwood floors not much has changed since the 1970s to improve its tolerance to normal living conditions. Other than developing a new type of finish to give it more protection, there isn’t much that can be done to change its profile. It is what it is, a lovely, natural product…
But let’s be honest, there are some areas where just any kind of hardwood flooring product isn’t the best option. There are risks involved if you use wood in a kitchen or bathroom. If the floor is porous, like hardwood, it is a stronghold for harboring bacteria and germs.
Waterproof or not?
When I hear the word “waterproof” I think “moisture insensitive”, don’t you? Well, that’s not the case with hardwoods or laminated wood. Flooring manufacturers marketing their wood flooring materials as “waterproof” is a selling point, and why aren’t they in business to “sell”, but the truth is, wood and water/moisture don’t mix .
The thing about hardwoods or laminated wood is that neither is totally waterproof… Too much exposure to moisture and hardwoods will expand and as they dry, shrink. This type of action will cause all sorts of problems with finished hardwood floors.
Laminate wood tolerates moisture much better than hardwoods. HPL (High Pressure Laminate) is constructed with sealed waxed edges, plus aluminum oxide surface coating, which increases water resistance. But if exposed to moisture/water for too long, it will warp.
But between the two, laminated wood tolerates moisture and bacteria much better than hardwoods.
The affect of impacts
As tough and durable as hardwoods, they are easily damaged by impact! Hard to believe, but true! Drop a sharp object or heavy pan on the hardwood floor and it will leave a mark.
Do the same with laminate wood and you won’t disturb the floor at all… The aluminum oxide surface coating on laminate can be compared to steel. Hard as a rock!
scratch the wood
Wood floors scratch very easily. You have to be very careful when moving furniture, or anything of considerable weight or with a rough bottom, not to drag it but to lift it, unless you have floor protectors on the bottom of any object you want to move. Sand from outside will also scratch the wood, so it is very important to keep it clean and use rugs in the entry area to prevent outside sand from entering.
Laminate wood will scratch, but not as easily, and as with hardwood floors, putting rugs in front of exterior entrances is a smart way to protect your flooring. My laminate wood kitchen floor is 7 years old and not a scratch on it. Once again, the surface finish is what provides such good protection.
staining
Hardwoods are porous and can absorb a stain like ink blotter if not cleaned up quickly, even with a good finish on the wood you have to be very careful not to let something like wine or blueberries just sit, they should cleaned promptly to avoid staining.
Laminate wood is non-porous, but it does stain, but stains can usually be removed with a small amount of acetone or denatured alcohol and a clean, preferably white cloth. When staining occurs on this type of flooring, it is the protective surface finish that is stained.
Maintenance
Hardwood floors are fairly easy to sweep or dust and mop, but it requires cleaning products made for hardwood floors. Eventually, hardwood floors will need finishing or even sanding and finishing, but they can be sanded multiple times. Maintenance can be quite expensive if the floor needs to be refinished. If it is necessary to change any flooring, it can be done board by board without replacing the entire floor.
Laminate wood floors don’t require much in the care and maintenance department. Simply sweep frequently and lightly mop when necessary. No special products are necessary. Swiffer products are perfect for laminate floors. Another thing with laminated wood is that you can replace individual planks without replacing the entire floor.