Most of us who have used wood for flooring before never realize that there are two main types of wood flooring that their houses may have installed. All they want to see is that the choice they make of wood flooring has the ability to add some structure and value to the home. The two main options are the Engineered wood flooring and the Solid wood flooring. These two come in a variety of styles, stains, and species. In this piece, we want to get into the discussion of what each of these two flooring options is and how they compare with one another.
Engineered Flooring
The Engineered hardwood flooring is made to have layers in its structure. The layer at the top is made of completely natural wood. The natural wood can be in a number of species. The bottom layers of these floors are also made of wood. Between the top layer and the bottom layer is a core. This middle core is constructed from plywood layers that can be between 5 and 7 in number and are made to crisscross in various directions. This kind of construction core is highly stable and will rarely contract, shift, or expand under exposure to various conditions such as humidity, temperature, and moisture. This is the reason why it’s preferably used in rooms that are constantly subjected to moisture such as basements. Engineered floors can be installed over concrete subfloors as well as wood subfloors or just floating it by gluing the grooves and the tongs together. Certain Engineered woods can be sanded or refinished. This, however, is dependent on how thick the top layer is.
Solid Wood Flooring
This is the kind of flooring that most homeowners aspire to own for the reasons that it’s timeless, durable. This flooring option is made from a single plank of wood from bottom to the top. The kind of wood used may be of various species. Typically, these kinds of a floor are not installed on top of subfloors made of concrete. It’s usually stapled or nailed to the subfloor made of wood. In most cases, solid wood floors can be refinished or sanded multiple times in case of deep scratches or damages to the surface. This is considered one of the benefits of choosing this option for floors. However, if the floor is made of a handcrafted finish, refinishing or sanding will be removed. As opposed to the case with Engineered wood floors, Solid wood floors undergo cupping over time. In case of temperature and humidity changes in your home, you’ll be able to observe the individual planks of wood contracting and expanding. The boards will appear to come apart during cooler temperatures indicating that there is the contraction. This happens because of the subfloor shooting of the nails during installation.
Conclusion
In summary, the wood species that are used for installing Engineered flooring are fewer as compared to those of Solid flooring. Most of the engineered floors are pre-finished as opposed to solid woods floors that may be site-finished as well as pre-finished. The installation process of engineered wood floors is easier than that of solid wood floors. Solid wood flooring lasts longer than the engineered flooring option. In general, solid wood flooring is suited for those who need a floor that is highly durable and stable. Engineered wood floors don’t have as much longevity as the former. In terms of cost, the engineered types of floors are generally more affordable than solid wood floors.
