What are the differences between Engineered Oak Flooring and Laminate Flooring?
There is one major difference, wood!
Laminate is the cheaper version of engineered oak flooring and is made up from different synthetic materials which are generally lighter and cheaper than wood. Engineered Oak floors feature a coating of natural wood with a base layer of Plywood.
Long term efficiency
Although there is a big cost difference between engineered oak and laminate, this can be seen as a false economy when taking into consideration the long-term cost effectiveness. Engineered oak flooring has the advantage of being able to be sanded many times, ensuring your floor will always look fresh and new as well as giving the option of changing the finish and colour of the stain. Laminate flooring cannot be refinished or repaired so will need to be replaced when there are signs of wear and tear. Engineered oak flooring and laminate flooring are both easy to maintain and look good but engineered oak flooring will bring a beauty, richness and value to your home for many years that laminate never can.
Fast growing sustainable plywood
Engineered oak flooring and laminate are both hard wearing and resistant to damage when considering the environmental advantages. Both bring with them environmentally-conscious advantages. Engineered oak flooring is made mostly from fast growing sustainable plywood whereby laminate is not real wood so no trees are used in its construction.
Laminate flooring is made up of a thin layer of resin infused paper over a wood chip composite. Laminate flooring looks similar to real wood and it is often hard to tell the difference between laminate and engineered oak flooring. Laminate flooring is resistant to scratches and dents and will hold moisture well so can be used for bathrooms.
Engineered oak flooring offers additional strength over laminate flooring due to the layers of wood in its construction. Engineered oak flooring offers good moisture resistance, is hard wearing with the added beauty of natural wood. Engineered oak flooring is easy to install and will resist changes in humidity and moisture, unlike a Solid Oak Floor. Engineered oak flooring can be installed over a floating floor and can be glued, stapled or nailed to the floor. Engineered oak flooring comes un-finished, oiled or varnished, leaving you with the option of finishing to your own specific standard or choosing the pre-finished varieties. Engineered oak flooring can last for many years, or even a lifetime.
Long lifespan
Laminate flooring can be slippery to walk on and cannot be sanded. When laying laminate flooring, it will need to have a foam under the layers to help soften it but is relatively easy to lay and can be glued or may come with a tongue and groove clip system. The lifespan of laminate flooring is much shorter compared to engineered oak flooring and due to its composition can lose its lustre in time, needing to be replaced.
Summary
To sum up, if you can afford the extra cost of an engineered oak floor it is well worth the extra to have a quality floor that will not only be an investment, will be a long term cost effective option as it can be resurfaced. Nothing can match the beauty of real wood and even though laminate may look similar there is a richness than laminate can never have. Laminate is the short term, cheaper option but when it comes to quality, engineered oak flooring wins hands down.
You may be interested in:
16mm Nature Grade Engineered Oak – Antique
16mm Rustic Grade Engineered Oak – Anthracite
16mm Nature Grade Engineered Oak – Oiled Finish
See the website for full range of engineered oak flooring.
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