For new construction, which flooring is greener: laminate or engineered?
Engineered Hardwood
Core: Hardwood, Plywood, or High Density Fiberboard (HDF)
Top Layer: Hardwood veneer
Pros:

Made from real wood, so it's biodegradable.
Limited manufacturing.

Cons:

Made from real wood, so trees must be cut down (and usually the really good trees that take a long time to regrow, because they tend to be more attractive on the inside so people like the look better).

Laminate
Core: High Density Fiberboard (HDF)
Top Layer: Photographic applique with clear protective coating.
Pros:

Made mostly of manufactured products, so less trees have to be cut down.

Cons:

Made mostly of manufactured products, so requires more manufacturing (which could lead to more pollution).
Made mostly of manufactured products, so may not be as safe to discard.


Laminate flooring is considered to be more &quot;green&quot;, since it doesn't require loads of trees to be cut down. However, it also requires more manufacturing, and may include chemicals that could impede biodegradation. Without knowing the &quot;greenness&quot; of the manufacturing facilities, it's impossible to determine a clear winner. Unless you're only concerned with trees being cut down, in which case laminate wins.