Laminate Flooring vs. Hardwood – What’s the Difference & Which is Better?

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Bottom/Right: © Zephyr18 / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images.

The difference between laminate and hardwood flooring is more than just cost. Both are acceptable floor coverings, and each has applications it’s best-suited to. Laminate can be installed in basements, kids’ spaces and wet areas where hardwood will not perform well. Hardwood, on the other hand, brings a sense of warmth and luxury that cannot be matched by synthetic materials and, if cared for properly, has a higher resale value and longer lifespan than laminate.

On This Page:

1. What’s the Difference Between Hardwood and Laminate? 
   1. Hardwood
   2. Laminate
2. Hardwood vs. Laminate: Which is Better?
   1. Appearance
   2. Cost
   3. Care
   4. Installation & DIY
   5. Durability
   6. Repair & Maintenance
   7. Environmental Friendliness
   8. Moisture Resistance
   9. Radiant Heating
   10. Pets
   11. Resale Value
3. Which is Best for Your Home?
   1. Bathroom Flooring
   2. Kitchen Flooring
   3. Living Room Flooring
   4. High Traffic Areas
4. Hardwood vs. Laminate vs. Other Material Comparisons
   1. Engineered Wood
   2. Vinyl
5. Top Hardwood and Laminate Flooring Brands

What’s the Difference Between Hardwood and Laminate?

Laminate flooring differs from hardwood in both construction and appearance. Laminate is predominantly human-made while hardwood floors are made of actual wood. Laminate has a wider selection of finishes, mimicking natural floors such as hardwood or having bright patterns and colorful designs. If you’re trying to choose between laminate or hardwood for your home project, it’s important that you understand the key differences.

Hardwood

Hardwood is harvested from mature trees. It’s then milled and sanded and either stained and finished in the factory or installed unfinished, then stained and sealed. There are many popular types of hardwood flooring that range in color from the pale blonde of white oak to the deep brown-black of ebony.

You can also choose what type of hardwood floor finish you want. For example, moisture-cured urethane is hardwearing and great for busy homes with pets and kids.

Laminate

Laminate is a human-made composite product. It has a moisture-resistant stabilizing base layer topped with synthetic fiberboards that give volume and strength. On top sits a photographic layer that gives the plank its design and color, along with a clear resin to make it more durable.

Laminate cannot be refinished, so it has a limited lifespan compared to well-maintained hardwood.

What is Laminate and Hardwood Floor Best for?

Laminate is best for…	Hardwood is best for…
Rooms with moisture, like bathrooms	Living rooms
Kids’ play areas	Older homes
Cost cutters	Longevity
DIYers	Radiant heat systems
Easy cleaning	The environment (if sustainably sourced)
Pet owners	Resale value
Those seeking more style choices	Repairs & maintenance



Hardwood vs. Laminate: Which is Better?

Both hardwood and laminate are good choices. Each material has strengths and weaknesses. The benefits of laminate are its cost-effectiveness, water resistance and ease of cleaning. Hardwood’s unmistakable appearance, longevity and ability to increase property value also make it an attractive choice.

Appearance:

THE BEST APPEARANCE: HARDWOOD

Whether you’re on a tight budget or you can afford to be more flexible, you want to make sure you’ll like the final look.

Cost

THE BEST MATERIAL FOR YOUR WALLET: LAMINATE

Your budget influences your material choice. Additionally, the size of the space can determine how much you can afford to spend per foot.

Hardwood:

• Hardwood flooring costs between $6 and $12 per square foot without installation
• Exotic woods cost more than domestic
• The stronger the wood, the more expensive it is
• Costs extra to finish, treat and wax the floor

Laminate:

• Laminate flooring costs between $0.70 and $2 per square foot without installation
• Pricing is dependent on thickness and quality of the print layer

Care

THE WINNER FOR SIMPLE CARE: LAMINATE

Your floors need to be easy to keep clean and germ-free. With high-quality finishes, both laminate and hardwood are both relatively easy to keep clean. However, there are some key differences.

Installation & DIY

THE WINNER FOR EASY DIY INSTALLATION: LAMINATE

Whichever material you choose, for the best results, professional installation is the way to go. But let’s look at the ease and challenges of the installation process for each.

Durability

THE WINNER FOR LONGEVITY: HARDWOOD

To make your investment worthwhile, your flooring needs to stand the test of time. It needs to be durable and able to handle daily activity.

Repair & Maintenance

THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE WINNER: HARDWOOD

Accidents do happen: Floors get scuffed by the constant tread of feet, pets can cause scratches or someone might drop something sharp or heavy. Find out which material is the best for repair and maintenance.

Environmental Friendliness

THE WINNER FOR THE PLANET: HARDWOOD

Hardwood: 

• Biodegradable
• One of the few flooring choices that, if sustainably sourced, is environmentally friendly

Laminate:

• 85% of laminate floors are recyclable
• LEED Certified

Moisture Resistance

THE BEST FOR KITCHENS: HARDWOOD

THE BEST FOR BATHROOMS : LAMINATE

Even if you’re not installing new floors in a kitchen or bathroom, it’s likely they’ll encounter moisture on a regular basis, so it’s important you know how these materials tolerate water.

Radiant Heating

In colder climates, radiant heating keeps your home comfortably warm, but it isn’t compatible with all flooring types, so talk to your flooring professional before you make a decision.

 

Laminate:

• Specialized laminate can be used with radiant heating
• Often, laminate flooring doesn’t conduct heat efficiently
• Gapping may occur due to expansion and shrinkage caused by temperature and humidity fluctuations

Hardwood:

• Thin boards are good for radiant heat
• Choose wood that can adapt to humidity fluctuations

Pets

THE WINNER FOR PET OWNERS: LAMINATE

Pets and their claws can be hard on your flooring, so find out which material can best withstand their antics.

Resale Value

While adding new flooring will boost the look and potential resale value of your home in the short term, what about the long term?

Laminate:

1. 1. • With its lower cost, laminate doesn’t add long-term value to your home
      • Only lasts about 25 years

Hardwood:

1. 1. • Can last generations
      • 54% of homebuyers would invest more in a home with hardwood flooring



Which is Best for Your Home?

Laminate and hardwood are both viable options for your home, with choices available to suit most budgets. But each has different properties and is suited to specific needs.

Bathroom Flooring

In the bathroom, laminate flooring is the better choice as it’s more able to withstand moisture and does not require extra sealing or special precautions. For more luxurious options, check out the best bathroom flooring materials.

Kitchen Flooring

For kitchens, hardwood makes the best floor. If properly sealed, it’s durable, warm, and beautiful. It’s also easy to keep clean and is less slippery than laminate. Just be sure to wipe away spills quickly.

Living Room Flooring

Hardwood is a great choice for living rooms. The living room is usually the biggest, most-used room in the home, so if you’re going to spend money anywhere, it’s here. Hardwood adds character. It’s attractive, comfortable to walk on and its one of the first things your guests see.

High-Traffic Areas

High-traffic areas need a flooring that can cope with regular use. For utility areas that withstand lots of wear, choose laminate—muddy boots and wet laundry won’t have any impact on good laminate. Hallways and other high-traffic areas in the main part of your property should be a dense, durable hardwood like ebony or Brazilian cherry. These woods are hard enough to withstand a lot of foot traffic, yet beautiful enough that they’ll add value to your property and leave a good impression on visitors.

Hardwood vs. Laminate vs. Other Material Comparisons

There are many types of residential flooring, with hardwood and laminate being two of the most popular. Let’s see how they stack up against other wood-look flooring.

Vs. Engineered Wood

Engineered wood costs less than laminate but is on a par with hardwood. While not solid wood, engineered wood flooring does have a thin veneer of real wood laid over a dense plywood or fiberboard base. Good quality planks are indistinguishable from solid hardwood. They’re also suitable for use with radiant heat. Unlike laminate, they can usually be refinished a couple of times, but still do not have the longevity of solid wood floors.

Vs. Vinyl

Vinyl floors cost less than engineered or solid wood but are similar in price to laminate. While it can look like wood, vinyl can also mimic tile or stone, or have completely different, colorful designs. It won’t add long-term value to your home, but vinyl is a great budget-friendly choice that is moisture-resistant, comparatively easy to lay and easy to clean.

Top Hardwood and Laminate Flooring Brands

Top Laminate Brands	Top Hardwood Brands
Shaw	Bruce
Top	Carlisle
Armstrong	Hearne Hardwoods
Pergo	The Woods Company
Bruce	Westhollow
Mohawk	Saso
Quick-Step	Aspen Hill
Mannington



9 Comments

1. Robert, October 13:

   Your article doesn’t delve into the third item you offered. Need more details on “engineered hard wood ” pros and can cons,best manufacturer etc.

2. HomeAdvisor, October 20:

   Hey Robert

   Thanks for the feedback. We’re currently working on more of these material comparison guides now. Look out for an article comparing engineered wood and laminate soon. Thanks for your patience!

3. Michele, November 11:

   Yes I would like to see the comparison of laminate to engineered hardwoods as well. Looking forward to it.

4. Joline Davison, November 28:

   I also am looking for flooring comparisons regarding engineered wood vs laminate. Flooring is an expensive adventure. The more information the better. Thank you for your knowledge, advise and input!

5. David Dodson, January 14:

   Where to start with updates????? So, my house is about 15 years old and I’ve been living in it for the last 10 years. It’s time to start doing some updates, but I can’t do everything at once. I’m a dog owner, and the carpets are shot, so replacing the carpets and lanolin floors with a new flooring solution is a must. However I also want to update the cabinets, replace the counter-tops, and add a back-splash. Upstairs I want to do the same (minus the back-splash), as well as tile around the showers and tubs. There’s a ton to be done! However, I know there has to be a logically order to start since once update will impact the next, and the next. Where should I start first, and what should be the “update sequence”?

6. alicia, January 30:

   need pricing for sub-flooring only putting laminate flooring down floors were measured came back uneven so need toput new sub flooring in can you give me some prices for this project

7. Frank, March 3:

   House came with lots of Marmoleum (sp.?) flooring. Question: replace (or not) with wood/laminate etc.?

8. Michelle, May 26:

   Sub-flooring needs to be addressed as well as comparison of laminate to engineered wood

9. sarah, April 29:

   I am no expert but worked with a stained concrete contractor for a while. If I was doing your project (reference David Dodson’s question). I would do floors last as they will get destroyed by other contractors. I would pull up all the material on the floor do all of the cabinets and countertops then finish with flooring. I can’t tell you how many times we used Ramboards to protect the floors and they would tear them to get to something and we would have to redo the flooring. Also use this sequence when working the patio outside and have a pool. Get the pool all done then always do floors last. Have fun DIYing!