The base is fiberboard with a photographic image layer bonded over the top.
Manufactured hardwood vs laminate.
If you are having trouble deciding be sure to read our laminate flooring project guide or any of our flooring cost estimators.
While solid hardwood floors are ideal for the diehard wood lovers engineered hardwood is a greener option and laminate is a cheaper one.
Engineered hardwood is manufactured from several layers of solid wood or plywood material also mostly organic.
Which one will you go with.
Solid hardwood flooring as the name suggests is comprised of flooring boards that are solid hardwood material through and through.
The same cannot be said for laminate.
More rigid than luxury vinyl aka non resilient.
You could potentially replace the board if you were wise enough to keep extra boards on hand but it may not match the other boards years later.
Laminate flooring is a fully man made material that consists of several layers.
Normally manufactured hardwood flooring will have a longer lifespan than laminate.
If you have your heart set on having a wood or faux wood floor you have four choices.
The motivation for creating manufactured flooring arose from the rising cost and dwindling availability of hardwood supplies particularly exotic species.
Then a transparent wear layer is applied to protect the surface.
Engineered and laminate flooring.
Engineered wood flooring.
The boards usually 3 4 inch thick are generally milled with a smooth top surface and tongue and groove edges that interlock to hold the boards together.
This is because once the finish is worn through on the laminate floorboard you cannot refinish it.
Laminate and engineered versus hardwood or vinyl.
If you re set on having a real hardwood look an engineered hardwood is an easier installation and more affordable price point than a solid hardwood.
Solid hardwood floors are 100 organic as solid flooring planks are produced from single pieces of wood.