There are 5 main types of flooring.
Tile – permanent flooring, laid with thinnest and grouted into place. Tile is waterproof, but has its own “look.” Removal is extremely labor intensive.
Hardwood – real hardwood also considered natural, permanent flooring. It is usually nailed or glued in place. It is also not waterproof and depending on the species and finish it will show scratches, dings, and dent. It can be sanded and refinished, but the install and refinishing make this your most expensive option.
Engineered Hardwood – has a thin top layer of real wood, followed by several layers of plywood. It can be refinished 1-4x depending on the brand. Because only the top layer is real wood, they are able to cut a lot of the costs down making this an affordable alternative to real hardwood. It can be installed a variety of ways: floating, glued, or nailed down.
Laminate – is a synthetic flooring. Manufactured to look like wood, inexpensive, newer lines are water resistant, but not waterproof. It is durable against scratches, and it is similar in thickness to engineered hardwood or hardwood around 1/2″ thick.
Luxury Vinyl Plank – 100% synthetic floors which are made to look like hardwood, tile, or other flooring. The main difference between luxury vinyl and laminate is luxury vinyl is typically 1/2 the thickness, and it is 100% waterproof making it a great option for wet spaces like bathrooms and kitchens.