What's the Difference Between Hard Surface Flooring Types?

Confused about the differences between hardwood, laminate, and luxury vinyl? They can look almost identical but differ significantly in their construction and performance. Let’s demystify these hard surface flooring types and explore what makes each unique.

Beautiful Hardwood

Hardwood has been the most sought-after flooring look for many years, mimicked by almost all the other categories. There are two main types of hardwood floors: solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. Both provide beautiful, authentic hardwood character in a room, but due to their varied construction, they offer different performance benefits.

Solid Hardwood

As the name implies, solid hardwood flooring is simply cut from slabs of wood, such as oak, hickory, maple, or other hardwood species. The beautiful planks consist of the same material top to bottom, which allows for refinishing multiple times. Because the natural material still responds to moisture, however, hardwood flooring is prone to expand and contract with humidity fluctuations, so it is only appropriate for rooms on the ground level or above.

Engineered Hardwood

In an effort to stabilize the expansion and contraction of natural wood, engineered hardwood was developed. It has an authentic hardwood surface, so it’s indistinguishable from solid hardwood once installed. But underneath, its plywood core resists changes in humidity, so it can be installed on any level of a home, including basements.

Scratch-Resistant Laminate 

Also made of wood, laminate is best known for its superior scratch resistance. In premium products, a high-density fiberboard is topped with a high-resolution design layer that mimics the beauty of hardwood. A durable wear layer makes for a remarkably scratch-resistant laminate floor. Finally, a backing layer on the bottom of each plank adds additional stability.

Waterproof Luxury Vinyl

Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) makes for the best waterproof floors. Not all LVT floors are 100% waterproof, but higher quality products include a waterproof core and water-tight joints, even protecting the subfloor from daily spills, splashes, and pet accidents.

LVT comes in many constructions, but the most popular for homes is rigid LVT, named for the rigid core. Premium products have a plastic-stone composite or a PVC core for enhanced waterproof capabilities. This core is topped by a high-definition design layer, which typically mimics wood or stone, and a protective wear layer.

Enhanced Flooring Technologies

Today’s technologies have leveled the playing field among the different hard surface categories, so choosing the right flooring for your home may come down more to budget than performance attributes.

For instance, although waterproof luxury vinyl flooring provides the ultimate in protection from spills, splashes, and pet accidents, you can now choose from 100% waterproof laminate and even 100% waterproof hardwood floors.

Similarly, although scratch-resistant laminate maintains an edge, the tougher finishes on hardwood and more durable wear layers on LVT have improved their scratch resistance as well. And the incredible high-definition design layers on LVT and laminate inch closer to the authentic beauty of hardwood every day.

Whether you prioritize waterproofing, scratch resistance, or timeless beauty, Mohawk offers a wide range of high-performance flooring options to suit your needs and your budget. Ready to find your new floors? Find a retailer here.