Solid v Laminate

Whether hard or softwod, plank or parquet, a solid wooden floor is the same material all the way through. It lasts many generations; it does not wear out and it ages as you live with it, evolving over time to look better every year.

A laminate is at best a thin veneer of hardwood laid on to a composite base, and the cheaper versions can just be printed paper and varnish.

Although some products look similar to real wood, especially from a distance, they feel very different to walk on. They are also not designed to last forever and to improve with age and as they wear the surface erodes; like carpet or lino they will need replacing on a regular basis.

They are the silver plate of wooden floors and in order to avoid disappointment should not be compared on a like for like basis.