skip to main content

Matching real hardwood with laminate

Lorie Dusseau Thomas

6 years ago

I have 3/4 red oak floors through out my house including my upstairs landing. I’d like to now remove the carpet from the bedrooms and match the floors. But real wood is above my budget. I’ve found some pretty close matches in laminate which is much more affordable. But how do I reconcile the thickness difference from real wood in the hallway and thinner laminate in the rooms. Do I put down a subfloor?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

SJ McCarthy
6 years ago
Ok...I always suggest working with a different colour if you are going to do a "mis-match" with wood and laminate. But if you have found a laminate that is SUPER close in colour and appearance (the photo shows a plank that is very close to the real planks of the hardwood) then go ahead and use it. The doorway transitions can be used to separate the two floors.

The EASIEST way to raise a floor = 1/4" cork. Yep. It is a 3-in-1 product. It is UNDERPAD for the laminate; acoustic insulation/carpet replacement product to keep the noise down; and thirdly it is used as a fast, cheap floor height raise.

Most laminates are roughly 10mm (at least the one's worth buying). That is just shy of 1/2" (1/2" = 12mm). That means a 1/4" cork (6mm) + 7/16" laminate = nominal 3/4" total height.

The cork is laid down like a beach blanket (this is why you want to use sheets and not rolls). It is NOT taped. It is NOT glued. It JUST SITS THERE. The laminate is laid over top and you are done like dinner.

Installers LOVE using 1/4" cork for this reason. It is fast, easy and does not require fasteners/glue. It will add 10minutes per room to throw down the cork before they start the install. They love it. And if the installer is happy, the price they ask for install is much nicer.
User
6 years ago
Waste of money and effort. Get rid of the laminate.
Related Discussions
Laminate to Hardwood Transition
Q
Comments (0)
I have an open floor plan in which are kitchen area and living room are one big space. Right now we have a light colored laminate floor in the kitchen area which matches all of our window, door and baseboard trim. In the living room we have a carpet we want to replace with solid hardwood. Since the laminate and hardwood will be up against each other, should I try to match the color of the laminate to the new hardwoods? And regardless of what color hardwood we go with, should it match the all of the trim in the living room? Thanks!
...See More
Luxury vinyl planks in foyer adjacent to real hardwoods?
Q
Comments (42)
Hi. I did something like this in my house. I have a split level. I put Biscayne Oak from Coretec down next to oak stairs. The vinyl extends out down the hallway and into a bathroom and family room. This whole level of the house is the same. It looked the best color wise next to the oak stairs. I put the vinyl over where the tile is as there are 2 layers of tile and demo for that was costly. I am thinking to do the same floor in the upstairs hallway and kitchen, which again is all hardwood floors same color as the stairs. I am nervous to do this in the kitchen and upstairs hallway, but the bathrooms all have the coretech vinyl floor because again 2 layers of tile, and cost. I dont think it looks bad with what you want to do. I will say this, cleaning these coretec floors is heaven :) so easy
...See More
Matching hardwood stair treads to existing laminate floors
Q
Comments (2)
If I’m understanding this correctly, the area between the two sets of stairs is this discontinued floor, the both sets of stairs are carpeted and the main living area (up the stairs) is also the discontinued flooring. Is this correct? If so, eliminate the discontinued flooring in between the two sets of stairs and replace it with whatever you choose to do for the stairs. You can keep the flooring upstairs as it is, but changing the floor at the entry to match the stairs will make it less disjointed and more intentional. Do not try to match it too hard or it will look just like you tried to match it. I would purposely contrast, but it needs to compliment. If you pull a color from the current floor, I would lean more toward light (although hard to tell, I can make out some very subtle light streaks). I would steer clear of the darker tones as dark floors tend to show everything and these sets of stairs happen to be an integral and unavoidable part of the house, which will make the high traffic very conspicuous on dark floors. I also suggest rugs!
...See More
Matching Jatoba hardwood with laminate or vinyl flooring
Q
Comments (5)
Before you worry too much about the product (laminate or vinyl), you will need to remove the tile WITHOUT disturbing the in-floor radiant heat. I'm going to guess the tile is sitting on radiant wires and not hydronic tubing. To jack out tiles without disturbing the wiring is SUPER DIFFICULT. I'm going to bet you will lose the radiant heat source simply by removing the tiles. Of course I'm only assuming you have radiant wires. Can you confirm what format of radiant heat you have?
...See More

Related Stories

KITCHEN CABINETS Kitchen Confidential: 7 Ways to Mix and Match Cabinet Colors

Can't decide on a specific color or stain for your kitchen cabinets? You don't have to choose just one

REMODELING GUIDES Laminate Floors: Get the Look of Wood (and More) for Less

See what goes into laminate flooring and why you just might want to choose it

HOUSEKEEPING How to Clean Hardwood Floors

By Bonnie McCarthy

Gleaming wood floors are a thing of beauty. Find out how to keep them that way

MATERIALS What to Ask Before Choosing a Hardwood Floor

By Mitchell Parker

We give you the details on cost, installation, wood varieties and more to help you pick the right hardwood flooring

KITCHEN DESIGN Pearls of Wisdom From a Real-Life Kitchen Remodel

By Samantha Schoech

What your best friend would tell you if you were embarking on a renovation and she'd been there, done that

COLOR 11 Terrific Paint Color Matches for Wood Details

By Charmean Neithart Interiors

Pair your wood trim and cabinets with the right shade of wall paint to bring out the beauty in both

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen Flooring 101: Find Your Material Match

By Lisa Frederick

From cork to concrete, our guide will help you pick the perfect surface for your kitchen floor

KITCHEN DESIGN Countertop and Backsplash: Making the Perfect Match

By Jennifer Ott Design

Zero in on a kitchen combo you'll love with these strategies and great countertop-backsplash mixes for inspiration

KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS Kitchen Counters: Plastic Laminate Offers Options Aplenty

By Ivon Street Studio

Whatever color or pattern your heart desires, this popular countertop material probably comes in it

KITCHEN DESIGN 23 Inspiring Real-Life Kitchens

By Vanessa Brunner

Get Ideas for Your Own Project from Creative Houzz Members' Kitchens

Sponsored

More Discussions

SOS: need urgently 2 1/4"unfinished red oak with bevel

15

Help - Hardwood floor mystery!

8

Help with floor colors

4

New wood floors procedure

6

Transition strips at a three way

2