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Solid Vs. Engineered Hardwood. Which is better?


In this article I will cover the difference between engineered and solid wood flooring. I often get asked; is engineered hardwood actually real wood? The answer to that question is: Yes! There are some who think that engineered wood is inferior to its solid counterpart. Solid wood has its benefits, however it is not necessarily better than engineered. Actually, the opposite just may be true.

Engineered hardwood has a cross-plywood construction, with a solid wood veneer laminated to the top. Solid hardwood is just that, solid. Both styles range in thickness from 5/16 to 3/4 inch. Both types of floors come prefinished or unfinished and come in a variety of widths and styles.

There are several benefits to engineered hardwood. Here are just a few. Engineered hardwood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood flooring. Engineered floors can be glued down directly to concrete, floated or stapled. They can be installed above, on, or below grade. Engineered floors are less prone to cupping and usually have a lifetime structure warranty. These floors can be installed over radiant heat. Engineered hardwood can also be used to make intricate patterns, such as herringbone, Hungarian point, Dutch weave and more. The downside to engineered flooring is the process by which it is made. The adhesives used may contain formaldehyde or other toxic chemicals.

The top veneer on engineered floors can range from 0.6 millimeters to a full 1/4 inch. There are essentially four different ways to saw the veneers for flooring. The four cuts are: Rotary, Sawn face, Rift and quartered, and Quarter sawn. Sawn face and Rift and quartered material is the exact same cut as a solid hardwood. Engineered hardwood also comes unfinished, most people cannot tell the difference between engineered unfinished and a solid unfinished.

There are actually not as many benefits to solid wood when compared to engineered. Installing solid hardwood flooring helps to create a structurally sound floor and helps with acoustics within the home. Solid wood has a surface layer of 1/4 inch that can be refinished several times. Manufacturing solid hardwood is cleaner process than that of engineered.

The disadvantages of solid wood are as follows. Solid wood is very susceptible to moisture. Cupping and crowning problems are common. These floors are not as stable, however some species are inherently more stable than others. It is common to have cracks and end gaps in the flooring due to seasonal changes. Solid wood flooring cannot be installed over radiant heat. Extreme low humidity or dryness will cause the wood to split and separate. Solid wood floors are more difficult to install and should not be glued to concrete slabs. There is an exception to this rule. Shorts (planks that are typically 15 inches or less) can be glued to concrete slabs.

No matter which type of hardwood floor you decide to choose, you will still get the benefit of added value to your home and the warmth and feel it creates. Take the time to learn about the different products in the market, this way you don't get stuck with a disposable floor.

Thanks,
The Floor Man

Comments

  1. Nice to know the difference between the solid wood flooring and the engineered wood flooring. Solid wood flooring as a beauty and the look which enhances the overall look of the house or the building. Solid wood flooring is long lasting.

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  2. Choosing the right type of flooring can be a difficult task for home owners. I liked the differentiation that you made between engineered and solid hardwood. In terms of installation, engineered wood is easier to install since the dimensions are more stable.

    We actually used engineered hardwood flooring (St Pete) for our house that was renovated last year. The installation was definitely faster than the solid hardwood that we installed on the 2nd floor of the house. I suggest home owners to check tile stores (tampa) online or any local manufacturer to know the type of hardwood that would suit their house.

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  3. By reading this description I tend to believe that engineered floor has more advantages than solid wood floor. While I do understand some people love solid wood flooring, I would go with the engineered construction.

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. Engineered hardwood is just cheap. I don't understand why their prices are so close compared to solid wood. IMO they should be a lot cheaper. A thin layer of solid glued on a piece of composite. Not for me, I prefer real wood.

    Solid wood is very susceptible to moisture??? Try inserting a piece of composite wood (which is the underlayer most engineered woods are made of) and a piece of solid wood in water and find out which one soaks more water and has more water damage.

    Solid floors are not as stable??? Get a 3/4 inch piece of a nice solid wood (high Janka rating) and see for yourself. I have installed this before, and can prove that it is ROCK SOLID, more than composite crap.

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  7. I love class. Therefore, I would go for solid hardwood. Although they have drawbacks, they are very durable if they are installed properly.

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  8. Engineered hardwood is different from solid hardwood in many respects, including materials, structural composition and resistance. However, not all wood floors are equal, and the many species of wood that get made into floors have different characteristics. Understanding these characteristics will go a long way to help you choose the wood floor right for you. When we were doing flooring for our house we order engineered real wood flooring in UK from The Reclaimed Flooring Co. They creates exceptional works of real, natural wood floors with an innovative range of hand-made platforms. Made in Oak, Pine, Strip, Panels & Parquet, etc. Their Superior range of real & natural Reclaimed Wood flooring products were Hand-made patinas, Painted & Weathered Driftwood Flooring & period home restoration Parquet, Planks & Panels.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Get a unique flooring for your house which is engineered flooring, available at Alles4bau construction company in Germany.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The information in your post is really wonderful. I really like the information which you have shared.
    Wooden stair steps | Teak Engineered Flooring

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  11. Good to see these type of article as we are deals with Engineered flooringso gaining knowledge from everywhere is very important.

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  12. Hi,
    Awesome blog!
    In fact your blog is a must visit!
    Thank you so much for sharing this blog.
    Engineered Wood Flooring Installation

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  13. There was a big confusion for me to choose right type of flooring. But after reading your stuff I've decided to install Engineered Hardwood flooring. It is very easy to install.

    Engineered Wood Flooring Installation

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you for sharing such great information.It is informative, can you help me in finding out more detail on engineered wooden flooring, i am interested and would like to know more about this field and wanted to understand the details about the engineered wooden flooring.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Your floor looks outstanding! I loved them seriously. Thanks for this good discussion about the difference between these floors. Keep sharing more good information like this. It is very nice to see this.
    Bella Cera

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you for sharing such great information.It is informative, can you help me in finding out more detail on Solid wood flooring london, i am interested and would like to know more about this field and wanted to understand the details about Solid wood flooring london.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great article, very informative. It can be hard choosing a good quality and color for your floor. You touched upon so many relevant questions. If you have some more blogs on the material please share those as well. Thanks for sharing.
    Bella cera floors

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  18. That's really very nice blog.
    Good job and great efforts.
    Keep it up.
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  20. Great blog!
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  22. I would like to say that this blog really convinced me, you give me best information! Thanks, very good post.
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  27. Thank you for sharing such great information. It has help me in finding out more detail

    about engineered wood flooring

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  28. Thank you for sharing such great information. It has help me in finding out more detail
    about what is engineered wood flooring

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  29. The engineered wood is used quite a lot these days. The wood is cheaper and it also remains in working condition longer than solid wood. I am involved with moving services and i move quite a lot of furniture. So basically its always engineered wood.

    ReplyDelete

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