| Attribute | Solid Hardwood Flooring | Engineered Wood Flooring | Laminate Flooring |
| Real Wood All the Way Through | Yes | Yes--except the bottom layers are plywood | No |
| Holds Up Well Against High Moisture (Standing Pools of Water, etc.) | No | No | No |
| Holds Up Well Against Light Moisture | No | Yes | Yes |
| Must Be Sanded, Stained, and Sealed Prior to Initial Use | No--available in pre-finished as well as unfinished | No | No |
| Easy for Do It Yourselfer to Install | No--recommend hiring floor installers | No, if nail-down option chosen; Yes, if glue-down or floating floor chosen | Yes |
| Can Be Installed As a Floating Floor | No | Yes | Yes |
| Can Be Sanded | Yes--multiple times | Yes--but only 1-3 times | No |
| Can Be Installed Over Radiant Heat | Yes--but not highly recommended | Yes | Yes |
| Scratch and Dent Resistence | Fair--depends on hardness of wood chosen | Fair to Good, depending on wood chosen | Good |
Wood Flooring Basics
Comparing Solid Hardwood, Engineered Wood, and Laminate Flooring
By Lee Wallender, About.com
Check out our quick comparison chart to see the strengths and weaknesses of the various wood floors available to home remodelers--solid hardwood, engineered wood, and laminate flooring.
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