LAMINATE FLOORING VS. ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORING
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LAMINATE AND ENGINEERED HARDWOOD FLOORS Hardwood is the best flooring material. However, in many cases, solid hardwood is not suitable for reasons associated with the type of subfloor, humidity, and other variables. Laminate floors and engineered hardwood floors are excellent choices when it comes to deciding for low-cost solutions. However, it is important to differentiate them from each other. Although laminate and engineered hardwood flooring are two great choices, the former is manufactured from synthetic compounds, and the latter from plywood layers and natural hardwood.
WHAT IS LAMINATE FLOORING? Laminate flooring consists of a plank made up of four layers: a backing paper layer, a core layer made from high-density fiberboard (HDF) or medium-density fiberboard (MDF), an image layer or decorative paper that provides the appearance to the floor, and a wear layer that seals and protects the surface of the laminate floor. Laminate flooring is easy to install because the planks can be placed over any substrate and snapped together to create a tight surface; for this reason, laminated floors are also called “floating floors.”
MDF AND HDF Modern laminate floors are not made out of plastic. Of course, early versions of laminate flooring were made of plastic because of the affordability of this material. Nowadays, new manufacturing processes have developed materials such as MDF and HDF, both made from softwood fibers. According to some experts, modern laminate flooring is durable, easy to install, and competitively priced. In the same way, the visuals of the backing layer are very realistic.
ENGINEERED HARDWOOD FLOORS In the first instance, when we are referring to engineered wood, it is important to note that the top veneer or wear layer is made from natural hardwood. Conversely, laminate uses a photographic layer that is covered with a protective coat. In the same way, laminate floorboards are much thinner than engineered wood planks.
ADVANTAGES OF ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORS
One of the best strengths of engineered wood is the top veneer made from solid wood. This feature allows engineered wood floors to be a replica of solid wood floors. On the other hand, the core or substrate of engineered hardwood is made from high-quality plywood. In this sense, this option has excellent dimensional stability.
CALL THE PROFESSIONALS
For further information, call the professionals on hardwood floors in Charlotte, NC.
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