I went into one of the top flooring store in Portland, OR a week ago (Paulsons) and asked one of the tops salesman (Carrol) what she believed was better: laminate flooring or hardwood flooring?

She thought laminate floors were a much better buy in the long run. Her reasoning was they are easier to maintain, keep their look over the long run, are cheaper, and look just as good as hardwood floors if you buy the quality laminate.

Carrol explained that she has two dogs.  She has hardwood flooring and her dogs have scratched it up pretty bad.  That was her major know again hardwood.  Its scratches extremely easily.  All it takes is for you to have dogs or cats with any sort of claws to run over it, furniture being moved, or rocks in people’s shoes and your nice finish will be ruined.

She explained to me that if you do decide to go with solid hardwood flooring get a lighter shade because the darker your floors are the more the scratches will show.

Additionally, spills can stain hardwood floors.  This is something to think about if you have kids.  I did not know hardwood could stain but it can.  Laminate flooring on the other hand does not.

Laminates are really hard to scratch and do not stain.  Those were the huge selling points with her.  She said that while she does sell more hardwood than laminate they are almost neck and neck.  Laminate has become really popular these days and in her opinion it is better than hardwood. Many people still prefer the real thing though no matter what you tell them.

It was also mentioned that if you buy the quality laminate flooring it looks 99.9% the same as hardwood.  You cannot  tell the difference if you get the more expensive stuff. She showed me samples and I had to agree.  You can tell if a person has laminate installed if they buy the cheap material.  It just looks like a picture of hardwood.  But when you start paying at least $5 a square foot for the good material you get virtually hardwood flooring.  The only person who will know is you.  And it will last longer.