Many people become to like V groove laminate flooring(Let’s call it VGLFS) as it offers a hardwood like appearance, while it is much cheaper and more abrasion resistant. Let’s compare VGLFS and hardwood flooring(Let’s call it HDFGSZ) as below:

1. The shape of V groove
The V groove of VGLFS is cut or pressed by machine. The angle and shape are uniform. The surface of V groove at one side is even. On the contrary, The surface of V groove at one side is not even. It is convex and round and makes people see it is cutted directly from natural wood.

2. Foot feel.
The main of material of VGLFS is high density fiberboard. So it feels very hard when stepping on it. HDFGSZ is directly made of natural wood, it feels soft.

3. Colors
HDFGS has nature colors of teak, oak, cherry, walnut, beech, pine, maple, etc. VGLFS enlarges the color range. Almost all the color such as ceramic tile, marble, granite, bamboo,etc are available for VGLFS. And the color for VGLFS can be in 2-strip and multi-strip. Most colors of HDFGSZ are 1 strip.

4. Wearing resistance
Although some special process can be treated with hardwood flooring(HDFGSZ) to made its surface harder, V groove laminate flooring(VGLFS) is much more wearing resistant than HDFGS due to the first layer of VGLFS: AL2O3. People also call Al2o3 manmade diamond. You can see how hard it is.

5. Price
The main material of VGLFS is high density fiberboard. So it is much cheaper than HDFGSZ.

6. Maintenance
HDFGSZ is a bit difficult to maintain. It needs wax, polish, and other process. V groove laminate is very easy to maintain as it is difficult for dust and other dirt to penetrate its surface. It can be cleaned with half-dry mop or cleaner except for some special dirt. The plank of VGLFS need to replaced for most case if it is broken at the surface as there is no other matter except for the top abrasion resistance layer to protect the second layer, the decorative paper. The “wound” of hardwood can be rubbed as there is still hardwood under the ‘wound”.

You forgot #7

7. How Does it Look
HDFGSZ is real wood, so it looks like real wood. VGLFS looks like plastic, though some people may think it looks like real wood.

Site finished hardwood floor has no grooves.

You can do a blind step test and tell what you're walking on? Solid nailed down floor vs a floating? Stepping on a red oak nailed down floor is going to feel soft like carpet?

Colors, yes, with a picture you can make it anything you want. With a natural product, well, it's natural and unique board after board. No two are alike.

Do you really need your floor to be "manmade diamond" hard? Hand scrapped, distrusted flooring is becoming very popular, do that with your VGLFS.

Price, the initial price is less in most cases, but over the life of the floor real hardwood will win out every time.

Who waxes a hardwood floor? Didn't that pretty much go out about 60 years ago? Urethane for site finish, using Traffic or Street Shoe for a residential finish is usually over kill.

We use Traffic in local bars and banquet halls, 5+ years later and the most it needs is a refresher coat. I'd love to see some lament hold up over 5 years in a bar environment with the most it needs is a fresh coat of finish to bring it back to like new condition.

Sure the hardwood will more then likely have a dent or two and other "character" marks. But that doesn't detract from the beauty, but actually adds beauty.


like apperarance, but isn't.

Tell your wife that cubic zirconia wedding ring is the same as a diamond and see what her reaction is.

Is even more clear than diamond, has no inclusions as most diamonds have, it reflects the light just like diamond. Cubic zirconia stones are measured, cut, faced, finished in the same way as diamonds. Only an experienced jeweler can differ a cubic zircinia from a diamond, but for most people they are jus the same.