Wood flooring specialist Nufloors Australia explains the major differences between laminate flooring and hardwood flooring, allowing homeowners to make the right selection based on the application.
Laminate flooring is produced from a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together using a lamination process. Wood flooring, hardwood flooring or solid wood flooring is produced from 100% genuine wood or from a blend of genuine wood, plywood and hardwood veneer, also known as engineered wood flooring.
Laminate floors may sometimes replicate the look of genuine wooden flooring but the two products are totally different in terms of performance, finish, maintenance and price. A quality laminate flooring, for instance, is produced to look and feel like real wood and also comes with a comparable price tag, but not all its advantages.
While both laminate and wood floors are suitable for DIY installation, only hardwood flooring can be repaired. Laminate flooring is known to be more wear-resistant with its ability to cope with scratches, but a timber floor lasts almost four times longer.
Both floors are designed for simple maintenance and ongoing care; however, most types of hardwood floors can be refinished, thereby extending their lifespan even further. Between the two flooring choices, there’s nothing better than natural hardwood floors for they will always look like the real thing.
