First the sound. Laminate floors look like the real thing, but walking noises are not as muted as they are with real wood. Also, when laminate floors get wet and the moisture is not dealt with quickly, the individual panels can get "curled" edges, much like paper curls when wet.

A hardwood floor is made out of solid wood. A laminate is a product that is made using any of several materials and methods and that has a layer of material applied to the top surface that either simulates wood or is a thin layer of wood itself. Most laminate flooring products are manufactured from wood particles bonded together with an adhesive of some type. A surface finish of some type, often a simulated wood grain, is then applied (the laminate). Some laminate flooring products are waterproof, some are water-resistant, and some are neither.

Hardwood Laminate is made by compessing several wood composites together to make a panel that is made into hundreds or thousands of identical panels that are snapped or glued together, but is not glued or nailed to the floor . They range from 1/4" to 3/4" thick. You could call it faux wood flooring. Authentic hardwood flooring is real hardwood boards some times fastened to a sub wood floor.

They feel different on bare feet. It took awhile for me to get use to walking on laminate, it was like walking on plastic. The sound is different too. It looks like wood, until you go from a home with the real stuff and then you realize your floor may look "cheap". But I'll take laminate over carpet any day.

Hardwood is actual wood, and laminate is like contact paper you cover books with, a big sheet that looks like wood or tiles etc

Quality

I have both. Because I have an autistic granddaughter that I am raising I put laminate in her room because I could mop it. Hardwood floors are not suppose to get wet and use special cleaners for them. The laminate is kind of like a linoleum only better quality. I wouldnt put laminate in again because it doesnt hold up like wood. I can see little dent marks in the floor where furniture was and also some how in one area there is a small hole. She is only 6 and not terribly hard on things so I am at amiss at what caused it.. You can refinish wood when necessary but not laminate. The laminate has the look of wood but not as nice either.

Joel, basically, if you want wood flooring, you don't necessarily have to install actual hardwood in order to enjoy the benefit of hardwood, as you can install hardwood-imitation tile or linoleum (i.e., laminate flooring); having to install hardwood, as you may know, will require a lot of maintenance to avoid having it deteriorate, etc. Having said that, if you want the actual hardwood flooring, the imitation type, or an entirely different type of flooring product, like tiles or carpeting, your best action is the easiest thing you can do for yourself: Get estimates, and a lot of them, form local flooring contractors by calling them. The rule of thumb is to get at least three estimates for free. For your convenience, here's a great handyman site that has a section devoted to flooring. There, scroll down a bit and you'll find a text-link kind of in the middle of the page that offers up to Four (4) Free Estimates from local floor contractors (who do wood floors and all sorts of other flooring types) in your area who would be in the position to provide you a free estimate of the cost involved in installing WHATEVER kind of wood floor or other flooring you would want, all without obligation to you (the link on the following page will say, "Find Flooring Contractors. Get Up to 4 Quotes Now...Free..."): http://yourhandymanzone.com/Your_Handyman_Zone_How_To_Pages_Home_Improvement_Zone_Flooring_Wood_Flooring.htm Don't seek guesses on here. Get free, concrete estimates from local contractors, trust me, I know from experience. Good luck.

One is made of hard wood and the other one is made of laminate --- frighteningly, it really is that simple! Its like asking whats the difference between ice cream and cookies ----

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