OnFlooring | Floor Decor Made Easy

Here we draw attention to the differences between laminate and hardwood floors. Lately, the distinction between the two products has become challenging. When Pergo first introduced laminate flooring to America in 1994, the patterns were basic, and the visual appearance was somewhat unnatural and repetitive. But since then, dramatic technological advances in the design and manufacturing of laminate flooring have made it incredibly realistic. We'll try to clear things up and hopefully, you will feel better informed after reading this!

Durability

Hardwood flooring will dent more easily than laminate flooring and there is a wide variance of hardness levels between different species of wood. For example, Merbau is nearly twice as hard as Cherry. Laminate flooring is more scratch resistant than hardwood flooring and hardwood floors can change color over time  when constantly exposed to direct sunlight. Laminate flooring is rarely subject to staining or fading. Overall laminate flooring is more durable. But engineered hardwood floors continue to narrow the durability gap with continuous improvements in urethane finishes.

Installation

All of our laminate floors and most of the hardwood products are click-together floating floors, and most use the UNICLIC locking mechanism, so the installation methods are nearly the same between laminate floors and hardwood floors. It is not unusual for hardwood floors to be sold in narrower strips and in random lengths so you may have to do more "clicking together" than with a laminate floor. 

Visual

It is remarkable how well today's laminates can mimic the look of a real hardwood floor, but if you look closely at two rooms side-by-side, you'll probably see the difference. Hardwood is a product of nature and is infinitely variable.

Home Resale Value and Prestige

A higher home resale value because of hardwood flooring is often touted by real estate agents and it's probably true due to the higher cost of hardwood. But both laminate and hardwood add tremendously to the value of your home, and both typically do so more than carpet, sheet vinyl or tile.

Other Characteristics

Wood grows old gracefully. Little dings and nicks over time may even add to the character and overall appeal of some species. Many hardwood floors can be refinished (or screened and recoated), laminate cannot. With proper maintenance, you will probably move or decide to redecorate before you wear out either your laminate or hardwood. Lastly, laminate flooring may sound different than hardwood flooring, especially with hard sole shoes, but an upgraded sound control underlayment will minimize this.

So which should you choose?

The question of which to choose is not easily answered. If cost and durability is your primary concern, we think laminate is the choice. If you tend to favor natural products or want that special "look" than hardwood is more suitable for you. But for most of us, the decision is more complex. It's related to our lifestyle, family, future housing plans and other factors. Hopefully, the extensive product information on our website will enable you to make an educated decision.

Laminate floors usually win over Hardwood floors

• Affordability
• Durability

Hardwood flooring usually wins over Laminate flooring

• Appearance, character, uniqueness
• Ability to refinish or screen and recoat