I would replace with wood.

boods , wood for sure. Especially if you want to ever sell the home. Lots of people will walk if they see or hear laminate floors.

Hardwood will last forever and looks better

Definitely hardwood.

Laminate if you want a picture of wood; hardwood if you want the real thing.

Laminate is cheaper, but also will last shorter than wood. Also, you had water damage.. laminate is not waterproof ;)

Or you could consider vinyl plank flooring.

Some laminates are waterproof.

I vote "Wood" at any time. Laminate and Luxury vinyl can't be compared to Wood's durability and natural beauty.

Unless your home is a "handyman special" that you purchased at auction or with such a MASSIVE deal (like "land value" only type of purchase), then you should replace like-for-like. Wood will MAINTAIN your home's value. Laminate will not.

Again, if you got your home for a STEAL, then go for laminate. The home can handle the lower valued product simply because the purchase price was low to begin with. If you purchased the home at "true market value" and wish to MAINTAIN the price then you will want to keep as much wood flooring as you can.

Thank you! Have chosen hard wood, my first choice, but was pushed in another direction

Same question as Flo. Real wood, or inferior engineered hardwood?

Engineered wood flooring is oftentimes the only option someone can use. Examples would be radiant heat, near the beach, or in the basement/below grade. There are lots of products available that have a full 6mm wear layer equal to a Solid floor. They are not inferior at that point. They are also usable in many more homes than Solid.

I agree with ci_lantro, waterproof vinyl plank that looks like wood and does not sound like laminate when walked on. It comes in lots of styles and colors. We're currently putting it in our remodeled bathroom. Coretec is a major manufacturer. Check it out.

For what it's worth: a friend of mine who lives with big dogs choose fake wood tile for the kitchen, and hardwood for the hallway. After 10 years the kitchen still looked pretty good. The hallway, not so much.

I would go with hardwood. Of course you must take care of the source of the water damage first, otherwise I don't think any sort of investment in a new floor will be good/ viable for the long run.

If that problem is solved, and water damage isn't something that will factor into your decision making (in terms of which floor might handle future water damage better), I much prefer hardwood!

If you want something that is waterproof, they do make AquaGuard or NuCore laminate flooring that is made with recycled rubber. You could also go with a wood look tile option. But you could never really go wrong with a hardwood floor to increase the value of your home. Just throwing a few options into the ring. Check out Floor & Decor if you're interested in a waterproof LAMINATE.

- Woodruff Floors, LLC

Hardwood floors are a great addition. They make your home look elegant, luxurious and comfortable. Most importantly, they can last for generations as long as you take care of them properly.