For laminate floorboards, the top.

Hardwood laminate or engineered. In the sense of looking to mimic true hard wood. Laminate flooring on the other hand has less water resistance abilities. Given its long lifespan of 20 or more years, engineered wood can only enhance your home’s resale value.

Engineered flooring—also called engineered hardwood flooring —is a solid core of premium, dimensionally stable plywood with a thin veneer of hardwood on top. In a direct comparison between engineered hardwood and laminate flooring, engineered hardwood is the clear winner. This type is commonly also known as engineered parquet.

The major difference between the two floor finishes is in their composition, engineered hardwood is made from natural hardwood, and laminate is made. Laminate, on the other hand, averages around $5/sq. If you’re debating between carpet.

The best engineered hardwood flooring can range all the way up to $13/sq. Laminate flooring can be made to resemble stone flooring and can utilize specific embossing techniques that aren't possible with engineered hardwood. Both engineered hardwood and laminate are composites, but they are made of different materials.

Overall, engineered flooring is just a little bit more durable than laminate due to the ability to refinish it once, if not twice. Solid hardwood is a combination of both plywood and solid wood on the upper side. Engineered hardwood has a real wood veneer top which gives it a close resemblance to real hardwood.

Laminate flooring generally is less expensive than engineered hardwood. And generally available with a thickness of 14 millimeters, and thinner than solid wood (solid timber). A wear layer, typically transparent, over the visual or texture layer to protect it.