DIY Network

DIY Basic: Wood vs. Laminate "Wood Look" From "Ask DIY Home Improvement" episode DADH-211

For real beauty and traditional charm, it's hard to beat the warm and rich look of hardwood floors.

Hardwood or Laminate Flooring

Home-improvement specialist James young provides information on hardwood floors and a couple of types of "wood look-alikes."

Should you choose real wood flooring or laminates made to look like real wood? There are pros and cons to both. Here are the basic facts.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

• Real hardwood has a traditional, solid look and can give real beauty to a room. Go to your home center and you'll find a wide variety of hardwood finishes to choose from (figure A). Two of the more commonly used are maple and cherry. Pine is a less expensive option. The "pros" of hardwood include it's unique, rich look -- and the fact that it can be refinished over and over again. The "cons" are that it can be expensive and tough to install. Also, it typically shouldn't be installed in basements or bathrooms because of problems with moisture.

• An alternative to real hardwood is engineered wood flooring, consisting of a thin veneer of real, pre-finished wood attached to a substrate of plywood. This makes installation easier than with solid hardwood. This option is also available in a range of finishes (figure B). The disadvantage is that the thin veneer can only be sanded and refinished once. Further sanding will expose the plywood substrate.

• Wood-look laminates actually consist of an image of real wood under a clear finish, using the same type of elements found in laminate countertops. This type of flooring (figure C) is durable, tough to damage or dent, water resistant and stain resistant. A tongue-and-groove system (figure D) makes laminate flooring easy to install. No glue is need, however laminates typically require use of a foam underlay over the sub-floor. A disadvantage of laminates is that, once the top layer is worn down or damaged, it can't be sanded or refinished. Manufacturer's offer repair products, but large problems may require replacing of the entire floor.

• Nothing beats the beauty of a real-wood floor, but requires maintenance and is subject scratching, denting and fading.

• Engineered wood offers a real-wood look, but cannot be refinished more than once.

• Laminate resists denting, fading and scratching, and doesn't require refinishing. But it doesn't offer the same beauty as authentic wood flooring.
  
  
  

  RESOURCES :
  

  HGTV's Complete Fix-It
  Author: HGTV

  Hardwood Floors (Second Edition)
  Model: 0830635297
  Author: Don Ramsey
  (1990)

  To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.

  
  McGraw-Hill Companies
  Website: www.mcgraw-hill.com

  Hardwood Floors: Laying, Sanding and Finishing
  Model: 0942391624
  Author: Don Bollinger
  (1990)

  To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.

  
  The Taunton Press Inc.
  Website: www.taunton.com

  The Guide to Easy Wood Floor Care and Maintenance: A Complete Owners Manual for Hardwood Floors
  Model: 1880759004
  Author: Grant Aslett
  (1993)

  To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.

  
  Marsh Creek Press (A division of Don Aslett, Inc.)
  Pocatell, ID 83201
  Phone: 208-232-6316
  Fax: 208-232-6286
  

  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	DIY's Habitat House: Tile Backsplash
  	Jay Baker Interview: Dippng a Door, Fixing a Hole and more
  	Avoiding Miter Mistakes
  	DIY Basic: Wood vs. Laminate "Wood Look"