Full Answer
What are the benefits of engineered hardwood floors?
- Kitchens
- Bathrooms
- Basements
- On Radiant Heat
- On Concrete Slabs
What are the disadvantages of engineered wood flooring?
What are the disadvantages of engineered wood flooring?
- Solid vs. …
- Some Engineered Wood Products Can’t Be Refinished. …
- Engineered Wood Can Be Scratched and Dented. …
- Thin Veneer Layers Can Reduce Your Floor’s Lifespan. …
- Engineered Wood Is Not Waterproof. …
- And It Isn’t Entirely Moisture-Proof, Either.
Which is better hardwood or engineered wood?
The exception to hardwood and engineered wood’s interchangeability comes down to water damage. Engineered wood flooring is a better choice in high-moisture environments than solid hardwood, making it a better option for kitchens, bathrooms and basements. But, for whole-house installations, both flooring options offer a wide range of style choices.
What are the pros and cons of engineered wood?
Engineered wood flooring looks very much like solid hardwood, but its construction features a relatively thin layer of hardwood bonded over a premium-quality plywood layer that gives the flooring very good stability. A good-quality engineered wood floor typically lasts 25 to 30 years, and it is both less expensive and easier for DIYers to install.
Why is engineered hardwood flooring so popular?
Why is sawdust used in hardwood flooring?
Why are veneers so thin?
Is engineered wood more expensive than hardwood?
Is engineered wood flooring a good choice?
What are the disadvantages of engineered hardwood?
10 Major Disadvantages of Installing Engineered Wood FlooringEngineered Hardwood Can Be Pricey. ... A Low-Quality Core. ... There's a Danger of Fading. ... You Need to Let the Wood Acclimate. ... Wooden Floors Require Specific Care. ... Engineered Hardwood Is Susceptible to Water Damage and Moisture.More items...•
Are engineered hardwood floors worth it?
Engineered hardwood has slightly better performance in humid locations since its plywood construction makes it more stable and less susceptible to warping. If installation against a concrete subfloor is necessary, engineered hardwood is the choice.
What are the pros and cons of engineered flooring?
Unlike imitation laminate or vinyl though engineered hardwood is the same in appearance and texture to traditional hardwood, but it will often be cheaper.Pro: Stylish. ... Pro: Greater Temperature Resistance. ... Pro: Adds Value To Your Home. ... Con: Maintenance. ... Con: Potentially Weak. ... Con: Fading. ... The Verdict.
How long does an engineered wood floor last?
Although engineered wood flooring can't be refinished as often as solid hardwood, it can still last up to 30 years or more with proper maintenance.
Why is engineered hardwood bad?
The EPA has found that low-quality engineered wood is sometimes made with glue that contains formaldehyde, a volatile organic compound (VOC) that goes through an off-gassing process once it's installed in your home.
Do engineered wood floors look cheap?
Engineered wood floors are “fake” and “cheap” compared to solid wood floors. For some of the very inexpensive engineered floors, this might be true. But a quality engineered floor will look and feel exactly like a high-quality solid hardwood floor. Engineered wood won't cup or gap.
Does engineered wood scratch easily?
Engineered hardwood typically lasts between 20 and 30 years. Because they do have a top layer of hardwood, like solid hardwood, they are susceptible to scratches. If scratch resistance is important to you, look for engineered hardwood floors with a scratch-resistant top coat.
Is engineered hardwood high maintenance?
High Level of Maintenance Since the surface layer of an engineered wood floor is made of hardwood, you will need to actively maintain your floor in order to retain its quality—exactly like you would for a solid wood floor.
Should I put engineered hardwood in my kitchen?
Engineered hardwood is suitable for kitchen areas, plus it looks and feel great. Also, it'll appreciate your house if you decide to sale; hardwood or engineered hardwood flooring is a desired piece for home shoppers.
Can you mop engineered hardwood floors?
When mopping engineered wood, it's best to use a damp – but not wet – mop. Too much moisture will sit on your floors and seep through the planks, which could cause subfloor damage or warping.
Does engineered hardwood increase home value?
YES! Engineered hardwood is the “real deal,” just like solid. There aren't many differences between the ROI of these two products. This product increases a home's value in a few ways: You'll recoup 70% to 80% of your investment as seen in your property values.
Can you tell the difference between hardwood and engineered hardwood?
The simplest way to tell the difference between the two types of wood is to pick up a loose plank. Look at the side of the plank. If it is one solid piece of wood with a continuous grain, it's solid hardwood. If you see different layers of wood, it's engineered hardwood.
Can I use spray mops or wet mop engineered hardwood flooring?
This is an area where you’ll need to check with the manufacturer on specific product lines. In most cases, using a spray mop on water-resistant eng...
How many times can I refinish new engineered flooring?
It all depends on how thick it is. Budget-friendly boards typically can’t be refinished, and you may only be able to sand thick engineered hardwood...
Is a thicker wear layer always better?
If you have heavy traffic in your home, paying extra for a product with a thick wear layer can be well worth it. Too thick of wear layer can hide t...
What’s the best way to clean engineered hardwood flooring?
For pet hair and dirt, a broom will suffice or a dust mop for light-duty cleaning. Vacuums that work on solid hardwood or LVP are also suitable for...
What is the mistake to make when buying engineered hardwood flooring?
One easy mistake beginners make when purchasing engineered hardwood flooring is dealing with dimensions. When you lay a run of flooring, you never want the joints or ends to line up, unlike tile, which gives you a nice uniform pattern. That’s where the term “variable length” comes into play, and it’s something you are going to hear often when you are dealing with engineered boards.
What is the thickness of engineered flooring?
On average, you can expect engineered flooring to range between 5/16” all the way up to a ½” in thickness with 3/8” and 9/16” being two of the more popular options.
What is the biggest competitor to engineered wood?
One of the biggest competitors for engineered wood, solid wood flooring aside, is laminate. It’s a flooring material we covered at length in our laminate flooring guide, and it does have several things in common with engineered wood.
What is engineered wood?
Engineered wood lives up to its namesake as it is a product that has been “engineered” by man, not planed down from solid boards. The best way to think of an engineered flooring board is in layers as they all have a bottom, middle, and top.
What is the middle layer of a wood plank called?
A thin slice or veneer of real hardwood is placed on the top of each plank and covered by a finish or topcoat for protection. The middle layer is known as the “core, ” which is usually made from plywood, although it can vary from depending on the brand and price point to a degree. The same goes for the bottom layer.
How wide is a plank?
Planks measuring 5 1/8” common, but you can also pick up wider boards at 7 1/2”. Narrower boards closer to 3 inches are also available, and you’ll find more variance when it comes to thickness. While the width is more of a design preference, thickness affects the durability of your flooring.
Is engineered flooring more durable than laminate?
It’s not as eco-friendly and won’t last nearly as long as the best engineered flooring either.
Pros
Compared to solid wood flooring, everything related to engineered wood flooring costs less, from materials to labor. Note this is only true for the same wood species; for example, an engineered oak floor may be less expensive than a solid oak floor, but an engineered teak floor may be cheaper than a solid oak floor.
Cons
Because of the veneer layer, an engineered hardwood floor can only be sanded and refinished a few times—and sometimes only once—before the hardwood erodes to reveal the core layers. How many times you can resurface is dependent on the thickness of the veneer layer. A 1/6-inch layer, for example, will last much longer than a 1/16-inch layer.
Cost
The final cost of your engineered wood flooring will depend on the species of wood veneer you choose, number of core layers, veneer thickness and the amount of coverage you require. Floors are typically priced at the following price points:
Maintenance and Care
Taking care of your engineered wood floor is much the same as taking care of a solid wood floor. Sweep regularly, lightly mop periodically and try to prevent scratches and dents as much as possible (pro-tip: attach felt to the leg bottoms of your furniture to stop them from scratching up the floor every time you adjust a chair).
Design Options
An engineered wood floor can achieve the same look and surface feel as a solid wood floor, including the species of wood and the floor design. Classic styles like horizontal stripes and herringbone or chevron parquet are common.
Installation
Engineered flooring is quite easy to install and DIY-friendly. Most engineered floors can be installed as “floating floors.” This is when individual planks are fitted together like a puzzle over an existing sub-floor instead of being nailed or glued down.
Lifespan
If you properly maintain your engineered hardwood flooring, it can last around 20 to 30 years. High quality, durable floors can last even longer—up to 50 years—as long as they are diligently maintained and nothing has been done to significantly compromise the veneer.
What is Engineered Hardwood Flooring
If you’re interested in wood flooring for your home or next remodeling project, there are only two options to consider. While the construction of solid hardwood or engineered hardwood flooring is completely different, the cost can be similar depending on the thickness, style, and brand.
Engineered Flooring vs. Laminate, Hardwood & Luxury Vinyl
While solid hardwood flooring is the most comparable to engineered flooring in most homeowners' minds, it’s not the only wood-like option. Both luxury vinyl and laminate have image layers that resemble real wood and are constructed from multiple layers like engineered hardwood as well.
Engineered Hardwood Cost
How much you pay for engineered hardwood depends on three main factors – the thickness, style, and size. Branding is obviously important as well, but this is a competitive industry so you can find smaller brands with similar prices to larger companies like Shaw, Bruce, and others.
Engineered Hardwood Pros and Cons
When you want a product that can be installed in almost any fashion, it’s hard to go wrong with engineered hardwood. These planks aren’t as heavy as solid hardwood, but provide more structural stability than LVP.
Final Thoughts
Whether engineered floors are worth it comes down to what you’re looking for from flooring and your budget. It’s the next step down from solid hardwood, and while more realistic than luxury vinyl, can still experience issues in moisture-prone areas.
Compare Quotes From Top-rated Local Flooring Contractors
Hardwood flooring is made of solid wood and it’s one of the most popular flooring options. It is usually made of hardwood species like maple, oak or walnut and it has a significantly longer lifespan that allows for sanding and refinishing over and over.
Key Differences
Hardwood flooring, also referred to as solid wood flooring, is often made of hardwood species. Popular species include maple, walnut, oak and cherry. Solid flooring comes from a solid piece of milled wood, hence the name. Hardwood flooring installation involves nailing the wood planks to the subfloor, a project that requires some skills.
Which Flooring Is Best?
Hardwood Flooring Hardwood flooring planks vary in width, ranging from 8 inches to 12 inches wide. Once installed, solid flooring tends to have tighter seams between boards. It is available in a wide range of colors and species in pre-finished and unfinished panels for more personalization.
Bottom Line
In many aspects, hardwood and engineered wood floors can be used interchangeably in most homes. Both flooring options have more similarities than differences, making it a personal decision. The exception to hardwood and engineered wood’s interchangeability comes down to water damage.
How long does engineered wood last?
Higher-end, best quality engineered hardwood has a good 2-6 mm thick top veneer layer that can be sanded and refinished over time (similar to solid wood) and can last between 40-80 years; engineered hardwood with a thinner veneer cannot be refinished and generally will not last longer than 30 years.
How much does Harris wood flooring cost?
Retailing from around $2.90 per square foot, Harris Wood flooring is a good mid-range choice. Need Flooring Advice or a Free Quote?
Where is Somerset Hardwood Flooring located?
Somerset Hardwood Flooring is one of those rare things in the flooring industry these days: a privately owned, independent company, that still has its roots exactly where its story began – in the heart of Appalachian timberlands in Somerset, Kentucky.
What is the most common wood species?
The most common wood species across most of the collections is oak, but there are also other domestic hardwoods such as hickory, maple and walnuts; as well as some exotics such as acacia, tigerwood, cumaru and sapelli. The choices don’t stop at finishes and wood species, but also in sizes.
Is Anderson Tuftex engineered hardwood?
Today all engineered hardwood brands & manufacturers use this same method – but Anderson were the first , and are still very highly regarded as one of the best. Anderson Tuftex currently offers 32 designs of engineered hardwood flooring, with several of the options available in more than one color.
Who is Shaw flooring?
As you may already know, Shaw Floors are one of the industry giants, operating for over 40 years to bring quality flooring in a range of materials to the market. With so many years’ experience, it’s no surprise that they have also brought several technological advances to the market too, and are often ranked #1 in consumer and industry surveys.
Is Harris wood made in America?
Specializing uniquely in domestic engineered wood flooring that is all certified Made in America, you’ll find that the Harris Wood range is small but very nicely formed, with hickory and red oak heavily featured.
What is engineered wood flooring?
Engineered wood floors are one of the more durable flooring options on the market thanks to their construction. Made of a moisture-resistant core and a sturdy hardwood veneer, engineered hardwood floors are ready to look great regardless of years of wear and tear.
What is the difference between engineered hardwood and hardwood?
The key difference between hardwood and engineered hardwood is the construction, installation process, and where they can be installed. While hardwood floors are wood logs cut into planks, each engineered wood plank is topped with a thin hardwood veneer to create a hardwood surface on top of an engineered core.
How thick should a veneer floor be?
Therefore, it’s standard for wear layers and veneer to range from 3mm-7mm thick to ensure long-lasting flooring beauty. Remember, the thicker the wear layer and real wood veneer the better.
How long does it take for engineered wood floors to acclimate to the new environment?
Regardless of the type of engineered wood floors you choose, it must acclimate to its new environment for at least 24 hours to adjust to the temperature and humidity of the area. While engineered hardwood does not expand and contract as much as hardwood, acclimation ensures proper installation and durability.
Why use Janka rating scale?
Since engineered wood flooring is topped with real wood, the Janka rating scale is used to ensure excellent durability.
Is engineered wood eco friendly?
This construction makes engineered wood more eco-friendly because the bulk of the plank is made from faster-growing materials instead of an entire plank of old-growth wood. As for installation, engineered hardwood is much more DIY-friendly with a simple tongue and groove installation process.
Can engineered wood be used in a basement?
Because of its moisture resistance, engineered hardwood can be installed in kitchens, laundry rooms, and even basements. Thanks to its excellent durability, engineered wood is strong enough to be installed in both residential and commercial settings, so your business and your home will look great.
What is the difference between laminate and engineered hardwood?
Each type consists of planks made up of different layers. The primary difference here is the core and wear layers. Laminate cores are made of MDF boards, which makes them susceptible to swelling and damage when exposed to moisture .
What is engineered wood?
The planks are a composite of real woods pieced together in alternating directions. Much like vinyl or laminate planks, engineered hardwood is made up of layers.
What type of wood is used for locking planks?
With various wood types such as oak, maple and hickory running in varying supplies, demand far outweighed supply. The answer is engineered hardwood. These planks are man-made, with a top layer of solid hardwood with more layers of less expensive, composite woods. The result is a locking plank system with actual hardwood with less cost.
How thick is a laminate plank?
The length of the boards are what makes the quality of the entire build. Most vinyl and laminate planks, for example, are around 4 to 6 feet long. Hardwood should be longer.
What type of wood is best for hardwood planks?
Wood Types. Hardwood planks (as well as softwood) come in many varieties. The most popular are oak and hickory, however almost any wood can make a great floor.
What is floating floor?
This is also known as a floating floor as the planks are not nailed or glued to the subfloor like carpet or hardwood. The result is a hardwood floor, with most of the benefits, a fraction of the cost .
What is a mohawk plank?
Mohawk is known to provide dependability and value in their planks. The engineered process uses all lumber for base, core and hardwood on top. You can install on, above or below the grade and on any level of your home. You will need an underlayment, which isn’t provided in almost any case.
Why do people choose engineered hardwood flooring?
Wood floors are a traditional yet timeless option for a room. However, solid hardwood often suffers from water damage such as spills, pipe leaks, and even humidity changes.
What wood species are used for engineered flooring?
Know Your Wood Species. Most engineered hardwood products consist of one of five common wood species: walnut, maple, red oak, white oak, and hickory. Each type of wood comes with its advantages and drawbacks. Deciding exactly what you need out of your wood flooring will help you choose the best wood species for your project.
What does character markings do to engineered wood?
Character markings help make every board of engineered hardwood flooring unique.
How thick is the wear layer on engineered wood planks?
It consists of real hardwood, which is why it has the same color, grain, and character markings as wood. However, this wear layer is only one to four millimeters thick. The thickness of your wear layer determines how often you can sand down ...
What is the role of floor planks in a room?
The width and length of your floor planks play a major role in the overall look of a room. For example, floors that have uniform planks look more streamlined and contemporary. Meanwhile, alternating plank width and length creates more movement and character in a room. Keep the size of your space in mind as well.
What wood is best for a quiet room?
If you’re designing a quieter space, softer woods like walnut can provide more comfort beneath your feet. It’s also a good idea to keep the room’s design and color scheme in mind when choosing a wood species.
Does engineered hardwood hold up better?
Engineered hardwood’s fiberboard core offers greater moisture resistance, allowing it to hold up better against problems that could ruin solid hardwood. This also means engineered hardwood flooring works in moisture-prone rooms such as kitchens or bathrooms.
Why is engineered hardwood flooring so popular?
Engineered wood flooring is designed to reduce the moisture problems associated with solid hardwood. Its layers block moisture and provide extra stability to your floor. It will also not swell or warp, which makes it very low maintenance.
Why is sawdust used in hardwood flooring?
This is because more surface area is produced to make the veneer.
Why are veneers so thin?
Veneers that are too thin will prevent sanding and refinishing opportunities that will double the lifetime of your floor. Also, too thin veneers that are poorly made can prematurely warp or fade the floor. Core layers must still be fashioned from high-quality wood.
Is engineered wood more expensive than hardwood?
Comparable to solid hardwood in terms of cost, engineered wood floors are still considerably more expensive than other flooring options like carpet, laminate, and tile. That said, the biggest concern to avoid is makeshift or secondary engineered products or manufacturers.
Is engineered wood flooring a good choice?
Engineered wood flooring has recently become a very popular choice. If you’re thinking about installing engineered hardwood in your home, there are several factors you should consider, from cost to durability. To help you decide, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the pros and cons of engineered hardwood flooring.
