What is the visible difference between parquet and laminate?

Hello,

I had an apartment viewing yesterday. And the realtor was not quite sure himself what is in there: parquet, laminate, floorboards and cork flooring?

Thank you very much in advance!

Best regards Sophia

And the real estate agent himself wasn't quite sure what was in there: parquet, laminate, floorboards, and cork flooring?

I have often wondered what a real estate agent gets paid for.

Well, in any case, my actual question, which doesn't come out here at all, was HOW one can tell the difference. If the agent doesn't even know what it is, they could be feeding me anything!!!?

Hello!

This is a bit like in the current Audi commercial: You can recognize the difference by the price tag .

Otherwise, with imitations, the goal is usually that the replicated product is hardly distinguishable from the original - and this is working better and better. While some time ago laminate was still dismissed as cheap and future hazardous waste, the current generation is visually hardly distinguishable from wood, remains durable, and (unfortunately) has risen somewhat in price.

We have three-layer parquet ship floor in the upper floor and are no longer really convinced by it (very scratch sensitive), plank flooring often encounters structural obstacles, among other things. The only really great thing is our three-layer parquet in wide plank look with bevel in the living room; but that also really has a proud price .

In terms of durability, laminate is unbeatable - but after all, it’s "just an imitation".

A reliable test instrument remains the fingernail.

Best regards,
Tomtom.

Solid wood planks can be recognized by their length, 2 m and longer. In contrast, laminate panels usually have dimensions of 20 cm in width and lengths of 140-150 cm.

Solid wood parquet can be identified by the joints; there is a uniform joint pattern across the surface, but upon closer inspection, the individual joints are different. Each "parquet piece" consists of only one "board" with joints all around.

In addition to classic laminate (wood imitation directly on the carrier board, usually pressed wood fiberboard), multi-layer coverings have become established in recent years. These can also be multi-layer parquet, with a 3-4 mm real wood wear layer. This multi-layer construction (similar to plywood, cross-glued) can also be the substrate for higher-quality laminate or even cork — making it not so easy to distinguish anymore. The multi-layer construction has the advantage that it remains dimensionally stable — and thus is also well suited for underfloor heating.

From my point of view, laminate is not the most durable solution, as water can penetrate through the joints into the wood fiberboards, which then partially swell.

I personally consider multi-layer parquet the more resilient solution, as scratches do not penetrate through the top layer and the parquet can also be refinished.

If you can't really see it properly anyway, then it's not a problem. And if the real estate agent doesn't know either, you can always try to lower the price during negotiations with the argument "This is not real."