Engineered Hardwood Flooring in Toronto: How It Compares to Vinyl & Laminate Flooring

When trying to choose the perfect flooring for your space, you’ll likely come across three popular options: engineered hardwood, vinyl, and laminate. Each has unique characteristics and benefits, but understanding what sets them apart is key to making the best decision for your home.

Engineered hardwood, for example, brings the warmth and beauty of real wood with added durability. On the other hand, vinyl is known for its resilience and affordability, especially in high-moisture areas. And laminate is often celebrated for its budget-friendly appeal and ease of installation.

In this guide, we’ll dive into what to consider before shopping for flooring, popular options, what each type offers, and their pros and cons. By the end, you’ll have a clearer idea of whether laminate, vinyl, or engineered hardwood flooring is the best choice for your Toronto-area home.

Vinyl vs. Laminate vs. Engineered Hardwood Flooring in Toronto: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Getting new flooring for your home can be a long and difficult process. However, if you know what to look for and have researched the most popular choices, you are sure to find something suitable.

Before deciding upon engineered hardwood, vinyl, or laminate floors, let’s look at some factors you need to consider when looking for new flooring.

5 Factors to Consider When Buy New Flooring for Your Toronto-Area Home

When choosing new flooring, it’s essential to consider how well it will suit your lifestyle and space. Here are five key factors to think about:

1. Traffic Levels: Start by considering the foot traffic level in the area. Busy spots like entryways, hallways, and kitchens need floors that can handle heavy use, while a bedroom or ensuite may not require such high durability.
2. Durability: Consider how resilient your flooring needs to be based on the room’s use. For example, laminate is a great choice for high-traffic areas that don’t require waterproofing. 
3. Waterproofing Needs: Any area exposed to moisture (such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms, and entryways) will benefit from waterproof flooring.
4. Ease of Installation: Think about how complex or simple you’d like the installation to be. If you prefer to do it yourself, consider floors with a click-together system rather than adhesive. And if you prefer staying home (rather than leaving during the installation), engineered wood floors, unlike solid hardwood, can be installed without lengthy delays.
5. Maintenance Requirements: To keep your floors looking new, consider the level of maintenance each type requires. Some floors need regular upkeep, so choosing a material that fits how much care you’re willing to invest is wise.

By weighing these factors, you can choose a flooring option that is durable, practical, and beautiful for your home.

Now that you know which points to consider, let’s look into what engineered wood, vinyl and laminate flooring are. 

 

Engineered Wood Flooring: Pros & Cons

Engineered hardwood flooring is a versatile option offered by hardwood flooring suppliers in Toronto, created by bonding layers of wood to form a durable and stable surface. Also known as composite wood, mass timber, or manufactured board, this flooring uses strands, particles, fibres, or wood veneers combined with strong adhesives or other binding methods to form a high-quality composite material.

Unlike solid hardwood, which consists of a single piece of wood, engineered hardwood typically features a layered construction. The top layer is a hardwood veneer, giving it the authentic look and feel of solid wood, while the underlying layers, often made from hardwoods or softwoods, provide added stability. This layered structure makes engineered hardwood more resistant to changes in temperature and humidity, making it a practical choice for areas where traditional hardwood might not hold up as well.

Here are the advantages of having engineered hardwood floors in your home:

 

1. Cost-Effective: The price of hardwood flooring in Toronto is generally lower for engineered hardwood in terms of materials and installation.
2. Temperature and Moisture Resistance: Thanks to its layered construction, engineered hardwood resists changes caused by temperature and moisture far better than solid wood. 
3. Environmentally Friendly: Engineered wood flooring uses less hardwood per plank, which can help conserve rare or exotic wood species. 
4. Durability in Moist Areas: The multi-layer construction prevents warping and bowing, even in areas where moisture levels fluctuate, making it suitable for below-ground installations with a moisture barrier.
5. Natural Wood Appeal with Easy Maintenance: Engineered hardwood features a hardwood veneer that gives it the same natural beauty as solid wood while being easier to care for and maintain over time.

While engineered hardwood offers many advantages, knowing its limitations is important. One key drawback is its limited refinishing potential. Because engineered hardwood has a veneer layer on top, it can only be sanded and refinished a few times, sometimes only once, before reaching the underlying core layers. The number of times you can refinish it depends on the thickness of the veneer.

 

Vinyl Flooring: Pros & Cons

Vinyl flooring is a synthetic, multi-layered option made from plastic, fibreglass, and PVC materials. Available in planks, tiles, or sheets, vinyl flooring features a core layer that provides structure and may include an underlay for added comfort. On top, an image layer realistically mimics materials like wood, stone, or ceramic, while a durable wear layer protects against damage.

Here are the benefits of having vinyl flooring in your home:

1. Resilient and Waterproof: Vinyl is highly durable and often waterproof, making it ideal for moisture-prone areas like kitchens and bathrooms. In contrast, engineered hardwood is water-resistant but not entirely waterproof, making vinyl a better choice for high-moisture spaces.
2. Comfortable Underfoot: Vinyl’s multi-layered design offers a soft, padded feel that’s more comfortable underfoot than the firmer surface of engineered hardwood. This makes vinyl a cozy option, especially in rooms where you’ll stand for long periods.
3. Affordable and Easy Installation: Vinyl is budget-friendly and easy to install, which makes it suitable for DIY projects. Engineered hardwood usually requires professional installation, adding to the overall price of installing engineered hardwood in your Toronto home.
4. Low Maintenance: Vinyl is incredibly easy to maintain – just sweep or mop without waxing. Engineered hardwood also requires little maintenance but may need refinishing, whereas vinyl’s wear layer protects it longer.
5. Variety of Styles: Vinyl offers a broader variety of styles and patterns, mimicking wood, stone, and tile for diverse aesthetics. While visually appealing, engineered hardwood is limited to wood finishes, making vinyl the more versatile choice for different decor styles.

While vinyl flooring is affordable and versatile, it may not boost resale value like engineered hardwood, which is considered more of a premium flooring material. Additionally, vinyl can emit VOCs, impacting indoor air quality. Engineered hardwood is typically greener with fewer emissions, adding value and environmental benefits.

 

Laminate Flooring: Pros & Cons

Laminate flooring is a composite flooring option designed to mimic the look of natural wood or stone at a fraction of the cost. It features a core layer, usually made from plywood or fiberboard, which provides stability and durability. This core is topped with a high-resolution image layer that replicates wood, stone, or other textures, giving laminate its realistic appearance. A clear plastic wear layer is added to protect against scratches, fading, and other forms of wear.

Laminate flooring offers many benefits.

 

1. Durable in High-Traffic Areas: Laminate flooring is highly resistant to scratches and wear, making it a great choice for busy areas.
2. Fade-Resistant: Laminate can withstand prolonged exposure to sunlight without fading, which keeps it looking fresh for many years. 
3. Affordable and Easy to Install: Laminate is a budget-friendly and straightforward option, often featuring click-lock systems that make it easy to install yourself. In contrast, hardwood floor installation costs in Toronto can be higher due to the need for professional installation, making laminate a more affordable choice upfront.
4. Environmentally Conscious: Many laminate floors are made from recycled materials without harvesting hardwood trees. Laminate generally has a smaller environmental footprint than engineered hardwood.
5. Low-Maintenance and Allergy-Friendly: Laminate flooring requires minimal maintenance, with no special treatments or chemicals needed. 

Laminate floors are sensitive to moisture, and oversaturation can cause planks to buckle, stain, or deteriorate. While waterproof options are available, any water that seeps underneath may require full plank replacement.

 

Choosing the right flooring depends on your priorities. Engineered hardwood flooring in Toronto adds natural warmth and value; vinyl offers waterproof resilience for high-moisture areas; and laminate provides a durable, budget-friendly style. Each type has its strengths: engineered hardwood for luxury, vinyl for practicality, and laminate for affordability. Weighing these benefits helps you pick the best fit for your space. If you’re looking for good-quality vinyl, laminate or engineered hardwood wholesale in Toronto, Home Care Supply has a vast inventory of stylish, durable, and affordable flooring options.