Laminate wood flooring vs. hardwood
Until a few years ago, laminate wood flooring was considered little more than a cheap substitution for standard hardwood flooring. But times have changed and now laminate wood flooring is becoming more and more popular and it is now placed in places a few years ago reserved only for hardwood.
How they are constructed
Laminate wood flooring consists of a fiberboard core backed and topped by melamine laminate backing. The top usually has images of wood on it in order to improve its look. Hardwood flooring is, just as its name suggest, made of actual pieces of hardwood.
The difference in materials causes the number of differences between laminate wood flooring and a hardwood one.
Scratching
Laminate wood flooring is much harder to scratch than hardwood, which is very delicate and not resistant to this kind of damage. Unfortunately, repairing a scratch on laminate surface is next to impossible, while it is very easy in case of standard wood flooring.
In all situations when the scratching of the floor is more than probable, hardwood flooring still has an upper hand.
Maintenance
The strong point of laminate wood flooring is the low level of maintenance required to keep it in a good shape. While hardwood requires constant attention, laminate wood flooring doesn’t need anything but occasional cleaning.
Color changes
Another strong point of laminate wood flooring is the fact that it doesn’t change color with passing time. While hardwood floors darken after a few years, laminate wood flooring keeps its color unchanged. Of course, this comes for a price – darkened wood is often considered extremely stylish and there is no way to achieve that effect using laminate flooring.
Home Decor & Furniture
Related posts:
- Wood Flooring: Professional or Personal Installation of Your Wood Floor?
- Real Wood Furniture: Three Classes Of Material For Real Wood Furniture
- Wood Bedroom Furniture: The Pros & Cons Of Real Wood Bedroom Furniture
- Solid Wood Furniture: What Does "Solid" Wood Furniture REALLY Mean?
- Wood Fireplace Mantles: Choose A Fireplace Mantle Made Of Wood For Classic Style
