Two millimetres of core is the whole physical difference between a 12mm and a 14mm laminate plank, and it is not what sets the price. In our laminate flooring collection the 14mm boards run $2.99 to $3.39 per sq ft and the 12mm boards run $1.69 to $3.59, so the thicker plank is often the cheaper of the two.
The short answer: choose 14mm if you want a floor that feels firmer, sounds less hollow, spans shallow dips in the subfloor and comes in a wide 7 1/2 inch board. Choose 12mm if the budget or the box size is the priority, or if you want a narrow 5 inch plank. Thickness and wear rating are separate decisions, and this comparison keeps them apart.
What actually changes between 12mm and 14mm laminate?
| What you are comparing | 12mm laminate | 14mm laminate |
|---|---|---|
| Core thickness | 12mm (1/2 inch) | 14mm (9/16 inch) |
| Price per sq ft | $1.69 to $3.59 | $2.99 to $3.39 |
| Box price | $23.00 to $60.99 | $39.71 to $45.00 |
| Coverage per box | 13.24 to 20.18 sq ft | 13.28 sq ft |
| Wear rating on the boards we carry | AC3, AC4 and AC5 | AC6 |
| Plank widths | 5 inch (127mm) and wider | 7 1/2 inch on the Swiss Krono planks |
| Good fit for | Entry budgets, a narrow plank, fewer boxes to move | A firmer, quieter floor and a wide plank |
Prices checked October 17, 2026. Box prices and coverage are from what we keep in the store today, before taxes.
What does the extra 2mm change at home?
A 14mm plank carries 2mm more core than a 12mm plank: 14mm (9/16 inch) against 12mm (1/2 inch). Everything you notice between the two boards comes from that extra material under your feet.
Will it feel firmer underfoot?
The extra core adds mass and stiffness, so the plank presses back a little more when you walk on it and feels less like a thin panel over empty space. It is a modest change, and it shows most in a large open room or over a suspended wood subfloor.
Will it sound less hollow?
A floating floor rests on underlay instead of being nailed or glued down, so it can sound hollow underfoot. A thicker core damps more of that, and a 14mm plank tends to sound more solid than a 12mm plank of a similar width. The underlay and what sits beneath the floor still do much of this work.
How much of a subfloor dip will it cover?
A stiffer board bridges a shallow dip more easily, which is where 14mm earns its place in an older Toronto home with a subfloor that is not perfectly flat. Neither thickness fixes a floor that is out of level or that springs underfoot, and work on the subfloor comes before any plank goes down.
What does the extra 2mm not change?
Does a thicker plank get a better AC rating?
No. The AC rating measures how well the surface resists abrasion, and it is tested on its own, so a thicker core does not raise it. Every 14mm board we carry is rated AC6, and our 12mm boards cover AC3, AC4 and AC5. A 12mm plank can still be AC5 at $2.99 or $3.59 per sq ft, so if the wear class matters, choose on the rating and the price. Our guide to laminate AC ratings explains what each class is tested for.
Does it change how the floor goes down?
Both thicknesses are click-lock floating boards, so the installation steps are the same. What does change is the finished height: over the same subfloor, a 14mm floor ends up 2mm higher than a 12mm floor, which you notice at doorways, transitions and a sliding closet track. Measure the gap under your doors before you order, as our post on a floor that is too high for the door explains.
Does it change the plank width?
No, width is a third, separate choice. The 14mm Swiss Krono planks are 7 1/2 inch boards, which leave fewer seams across a room. The 12mm side offers a 5 inch (127mm) plank at $1.69 per sq ft as well as wider boards, so the narrow, traditional look comes from 12mm here. Our guide to laminate plank widths covers what an extra inch does in a room.
Which 14mm planks can you buy, and at what price?
Every 14mm board is an AC6 plank made in Germany, and they all come in the same 13.28 sq ft box at $39.71 to $45.00, or $2.99 to $3.39 per sq ft. The Swiss Krono boards are 7 1/2 inch planks.
Swiss Krono Native Urban Pine (K225) is $2.99 per sq ft and $39.71 a box, and Swiss Krono Witches Wood (K232) costs the same. Swiss Krono Wilderness Oak (K223) is $3.09 per sq ft, or $41.04 a box, and the pale Swiss Krono Lilywhite Oak (K226) is $3.39 per sq ft, or $45.00 a box. Our Swiss Krono 14mm review covers this family in more detail.
Krono K230 Golden Vista Oak is also $2.99 per sq ft, but it is in short supply. It suits a small room or a single run of floor better than a whole floor, so confirm the quantity with us before you plan a project around it.
Which 12mm planks can you buy, and what do they cost?
The 12mm group is where the prices spread out. Krono K6207 is a 5 inch (127mm) AC3 board at $1.69 per sq ft, or $23.00 for a 13.61 sq ft box, and it is the entry price of both thicknesses.
For AC5 in 12mm, Goodfellow Prag No.028 is $3.00 per sq ft in the largest box here: $60.54 covers 20.18 sq ft. Further up the same group, a 12mm AC5 plank reaches $3.59 per sq ft, and AC4 boards sit in the middle of the range, so the thickness gives you a rating for most rooms.
What does a 300 sq ft room cost in 12mm or 14mm?
Laminate is sold by the box, and box sizes differ, so compare the whole order and not only the price per square foot. The figures below add 5% for cuts and round up to whole boxes, which turns a 300 sq ft room into 315 sq ft of boards.
| Board | Box price | Box covers | Boxes for 300 sq ft | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Krono K6207 12mm AC3 | $23.00 | 13.61 sq ft | 24 | $552.00 |
| Goodfellow Prag No.028 12mm AC5 | $60.54 | 20.18 sq ft | 16 | $968.64 |
| Krono A2222 12mm AC5 | $51.94 | 15.93 sq ft | 20 | $1,038.80 |
| Swiss Krono Native Urban Pine 14mm AC6 | $39.71 | 13.28 sq ft | 24 | $953.04 |
| Swiss Krono Lilywhite Oak 14mm AC6 | $45.00 | 13.28 sq ft | 24 | $1,080.00 |
Read the table across rather than down. The 14mm Swiss Krono Native Urban Pine comes to $953.04 for the room and the 12mm AC5 Goodfellow Prag to $968.64, so the thicker board is the smaller order here. The 12mm Krono K6207 covers the same room for $552.00.
Installation, underlay, removal of the old floor and trim are separate from the material, and we price them after we see the room.
Which thickness is right for your room?
- A firmer, quieter main floor: choose 14mm, especially over a suspended wood subfloor or across a long open room where the 7 1/2 inch plank suits the space.
- AC6 without paying a premium: choose 14mm at $2.99 per sq ft, a cent below the 12mm AC5 Goodfellow Prag at $3.00.
- The entry price: choose 12mm, at $1.69 per sq ft for the Krono K6207, or $552.00 for a 300 sq ft room.
- A narrow, traditional plank: choose 12mm, which gives you a 5 inch (127mm) board the 14mm planks do not offer.
- Fewer cartons to carry: choose 12mm, where the 20.18 sq ft Goodfellow box takes 16 boxes for 300 sq ft against 24 boxes of 14mm at 13.28 sq ft each.
- A colour you love at a similar price: either thickness. When the two land within a few cents per sq ft, the colour and the room decide.
One rule holds for both: laminate is a floating floor and wants a subfloor that is flat, dry and sound. For a basement slab with moisture coming through, look at a waterproof plank instead. Our honest look at laminate pros and cons covers water at the seams, noise and repairs.
12mm vs 14mm laminate: questions buyers ask
Is 14mm laminate worth it over 12mm?
It is worth it when you want the firmer, quieter floor, a wide 7 1/2 inch plank, or an AC6 rating, and it is worth it on price more often than people expect, because $2.99 per sq ft for 14mm sits under the $3.00 you pay for one of our 12mm AC5 boards. It is not worth it if you want the lowest entry cost or a narrow plank.
Does a thicker plank last longer?
Not because of the thickness. Wear comes down to the surface and its rating, so two boards with the same AC class wear in the same way whatever the core depth. Core depth changes how the floor feels and sounds, and how well it spans a shallow dip. If you are weighing a thinner board too, our 10mm against 12mm comparison covers that step down.
Will a 14mm plank fix a wavy subfloor?
It helps with shallow dips and small hollows, and it is the better of the two if your subfloor is a little uneven. It is not a fix for a floor that is visibly out of level or that moves. That is subfloor work, and it is cheaper to do once than to lay a new floor over a problem that stays underneath.
Are all 14mm planks AC6?
Thickness and wear class are decided separately, so the two do not have to match. Every 14mm board we carry is AC6 and our 12mm boards run AC3 to AC5, but a 14mm plank from another line could carry a lower class. If the rating matters, ask for the rating you want rather than assuming it from the thickness.
Do I need more boxes of 14mm than of 12mm?
Usually yes, because the 14mm box covers 13.28 sq ft, so a 300 sq ft room takes 24 boxes. The Goodfellow 12mm box covers 20.18 sq ft and needs only 16 boxes for the same room, a smaller load to move and store.
Will a 14mm floor change the height at my doors?
It sits 2mm higher than a 12mm floor over the same subfloor, so a door that already closes with little clearance can start to rub. Check the gap under each door before you order, and tell us what you find so we can plan the transitions and any door trimming.
Get a 12mm or 14mm laminate quote in Toronto and the GTA
Send us your room sizes and the thickness you are leaning toward, and we will work out the boxes, the underlay and the installation. You can request a quote online and we will follow up on both thicknesses.
Top Floorings Depot
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 1, Toronto, ON M1W 3K5
www.topfloorings.com
Call: 416-499-0117
Text: 416-770-8819