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

Contrasting manufactured hardwood floors to solid Denver hardwood flooring is tricky since there are a lot of factors involved which are limited to one choice or the other. Making the assessment even more difficult, the quality of engineered items has risen significantly over time. Deciding which choice is the best option for your house may only be done after considering your budget, desired type, and numerous other variables.

Below, we'll describe engineered wood planks, and describe how they are built. We will additionally provide several particulars that can help you to determine whether or not this type of flooring poses a better option than solid hardwoods.

What Are Engineered Wood Boards?

As opposed to a single level of wood, these kinds of planks are comprised of a number of levels of ply which are cross-laid, and fixed together. The manner wherein the layers are laid atop one another offers extra durability and firmness to the planks.

While hardwood floors are often constructed on-site, engineered products are bought in prefinished form. As soon as the boards reach the installation site, they're previously sanded and sealed with a finish.

The Wear Layer And Refinishing

The top level of an engineered wood plank is called the wear layer. This is the portion of the board that is travelled upon. Its density is usually 1/8" or 3/16", which can be much slimmer than a solid hardwood. This is pertinent since the wear layer may only be sanded down a few times before the plywood beneath is reached

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

This is a question of durability. If you want your wooden flooring to last for a number of decades, solid boards are a great option. Manufactured hardwood floors can be expected to endure for approximately thirty years, although the degree of traffic they experience will play a significant role. Once the wear layer has become worn or sanded away, the planks is able to only be treated with an additional coat of finish.

Accommodation Of The Environment

An area in which manufactured hardwood flooring has an apparent benefit over solid hardwoods is in its versatility with regards to setting; the product handles moisture better; it is more resistant to it. This carries a couple of important implications.

First, the boards can be installed over concrete, which is likely to emit a greater degree of dampness than additional subfloor materials. Consequently, they're better in a position to cater to basements and other locations that are beneath ground level.

Second, due to the fact engineered products are moisture-resistant, they could be set up in moist or humid environments (within reason); they are much less restricted in scope than solid hardwoods.

A third advantage coming from improved moisture resistance is that the boards are less vulnerable to gapping, cupping, and crowning. Each of these issues result from changes in an environment's moisture level.

Cost Considerations

Engineered boards are generally more costly than solid boards and strips. Furthermore, the expense increases with the number of plies; the greater cost of the planks can be mitigated by selecting a frequent - and thus, less costly - wood specie, like oak. It could be located almost anyplace, and is generally obtainable off-the-shelf.

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

Solid hardwoods are tacked or stapled to a wood subfloor. While a few expert installers 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 planks generally lack a stable locking mechanism. That said, a few manufacturers have generated solid planks that can be locked.

Manufactured woods are more flexible. They can be put in via nail-down, glue-down, or floating floor methods. It's well worth observing that the installation method utilized will depend, in part, on the density of the planks.

We pointed out previously that comparing manufactured and solid wood products is difficult due to the many factors involved. Understand that both offer benefits in addition to drawbacks

The best approach for selecting between them is to establish what you want out of your hardwood floors, and select a design that satisfies the demand.

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