On Engineered Wood Floors: Are They Better Than Solid Hardwoods?

Comparing manufactured hardwood floors to solid Denver hardwood flooring is problematic because there are a lot of aspects included that are exclusive to one choice or the other; making the assessment even more complicated, the good quality of engineered items has risen substantially over time. Determining which option is most suitable for your residence may only be done after taking into account your budget, preferred style, and many other variables.

Beneath, we will describe manufactured wood boards, and explain the way they are built. We'll additionally provide a number of details which will help you to determine whether or not this type of flooring poses a much better option than solid hardwoods.

What Are Engineered Wood Boards?

Rather than a fashion jackets online single layer of hardwood, these planks consist of several layers of ply that are cross-laid, and glued together. The way wherein the layers are laid on top of each other provides additional durability and firmness to the boards.

Although solid wood floors are often constructed on-site, engineered hardwoods are purchased in prefinished form. By the time the planks arrive at the installment site, they're previously sanded and sealed with a finish.

The Wear Layer And Refinishing

The top level of an engineered wood plank is referred to as the wear layer. This is the part of the plank that is walked upon. Its density is usually 1/8" or 3/16", which can be much thinner than a solid wood; this is relevant since the wear layer can only be sanded down a few times before the plywood underneath is reached

By comparison, a solid solid wood product is usually 1/4" thick, therefore could be sanded and refinished many more times.

This can be a question of endurance. If you want your wood flooring to last for several decades, solid boards are a great option. Manufactured hardwood floors could be expected to last for approximately thirty years, although the amount of traffic they experience will play a large part; once the wear layer has become worn or sanded away, the boards is able to only be treated with an additional coat of finish.

Accommodation Of The Environment

An area in which engineered hardwood flooring has a clear benefit over solid hardwoods is in its versatility with regard to surroundings. The product deals with moisture more effectively; it's more resistant to it. This carries a couple of essential implications.

First, the boards could be set up over concrete, which is likely to give off a higher degree of dampness than additional subflooring materials. Consequently, they're much better in a position to accommodate basements and various other sites which are beneath ground level.

Second, since engineered items are moisture-resistant, they could be installed in damp or humid environments (within reason); they are much less restricted in scope than solid hardwood floors.

A third advantage stemming from improved moisture resistance is that the boards are less prone to gapping, cupping, and crowning. All of these issues come from changes in an environment's humidity level.

Cost Considerations

Manufactured boards are usually much more expensive than solid planks and strips. Furthermore, the price will increase with the number of plies. The higher price of the boards can be mitigated by selecting a common - and therefore, less expensive - wood specie, such as oak. It can be located almost anywhere, and is usually available off-the-shelf.

Installment Techniques: Nail-Down, Glue-Down And Floating Approaches

Solid hardwoods are nailed or stapled to a wood subflooring. While a few professional contractors are willing to perform a glue-down set up (usually, on concrete), doing this invites difficulties later on. Floating floor setups are hardly ever done with solid hardwood floors because the boards usually lack a stable locking mechanism. That said, a couple of manufacturers have produced solid boards which could be secured.

Engineered woods are more versatile. They may be put in via nail-down, glue-down, or floating floor methods. It's well worth observing that the installment technique utilized is going to depend, in part, on the thickness of the planks.

We mentioned previously that comparing engineered and solid wood products is challenging due to the many variables involved. Realize that each offers advantages along with disadvantages. The best approach for selecting between them is to establish what you would like out of your wood flooring, and choose a construction that fulfills the need.