[Allen]

This is a matter of personal preference to a large degree. However, I will tell you that we installed engineered hardwood in our Pennsylvania home basement (converted to family room) and love the look of it. It looks and feels like real hardwood (which we have upstairs). Laminate looks and feels like… well… laminate. However, there are a variety of laminate styles, some do not attempt to mimic wood so much (which in my humble opinion for laminate, is the better choice). So depending on the style you choose it may, or may not, ultimately provide you with the look you want.

On the plus side, laminate can be less expensive and may handle spills and rough treatment initially better than engineered hardwood. The plus for engineered hardwood is the “authentic look and the feel" (both under foot and visually). The negative for engineered hardwood is flooding… it will bubble and buckle if it gets flooded. Otherwise, moisture is not a problem… it is designed to handle moisture... just don’t let it go under water, or you will have to replace the damaged section. On the other hand, you may have to tear up a laminate floor as well if it is flooded to avoid mold and mildew.

My advice would be for you to go to a few stores such as Lowes, Home Depot and a local flooring store to compare the look and pricing. Both will hold up well, but when they eventually do wear, the wood will look like aging hardwood (as I’m sure you know, some people think of it as a "patina" and actually like the look of a "gracefully aging" hardwood floor). It may also be refinished if it is not badly worn. The laminate after a while will look like… well… worn laminate.

Again, I think this is largely personal preference and I am sure there are a lot of truly beautiful laminate floors out there. For me, I could not find a laminate that was not “close… but no cigar”, if that makes any sense.