Home Flooring Guide

When you decide you want the look of a real hardwood floor, you have a lot of options to consider.  Of course, there are the options of what types of hardwood flooring you want to use.  Whether you go with oak or ash or teak or bamboo has a lot to do with the shade and quality you want in that new room.  It also has a lot to do with your budget.  

But another decision to be made is whether you will install pure hardwood flooring, a hardwood laminate or engineered hardwood flooring.  So its appropriate before you buy to ask some pertinent questions about engineered hardwood so you know if this is an option you want to include in your decision making process.

How is Engineered Hardwood Flooring Different from Hardwood Flooring?

The primary difference between engineered hardwood flooring and "pure" hardwood flooring material is that engineered hardwood only uses pure hardwood grain on the top layer which is the layer that will be seen and will make the most impression on people who visit the room.  Natural hardwood flooring is made of a single piece of hardwood so what you see on the surface goes throughout the flooring.

Engineered hardwood flooring only uses the natural hardwood on the top layer. In this way, once the engineered hardwood is down, you will never be able to tell that it isn’t pure hardwood flooring.  The core of engineered hardwood flooring consists of layers of more affordable wood filler that is of good quality but not the kind of wood you would showcase on the top layer.

Does the Construction of Engineered Hardwood Flooring Make it Inferior?

The opposite is the truth in that the multi-layered design of engineered hardwood flooring makes it even more versatile than conventional hardwood flooring.  Engineered hardwood is more able to adjust to temperature shifts that ordinarily threaten to cause natural hardwood flooring to shift and buckle as the wood expands and contracts with the changes in temperature.  Engineered hardwood also responds to the presence of humidity in the room or in the environment that have made pure hardwood floor installations in some parts of the country so difficult to care for.  

The layered design can expand and contract in response to temperature and humidity changes more easily than a single piece of wood would and leave the top layer unaffected.  This is why many flooring suppliers actually recommend engineered hardwood over pure hardwood flooring for a flooring installation that serves the home for many years with much less maintenance and problems than are traditionally associated with hardwood floors.

How is Engineered Hardwood Flooring Secured During Installation?

Engineered hardwood can be installed as a floating floor. Like hardwood laminate, engineered hardwood flooring uses a groove and tongue method to allow you to complete a seamless installation without using any adhesive or tacks to secure the flooring to the surface below.  The installation will not show any gaps between panels that you sometimes see in a natural hardwood installation and the floating installation is much easier and more economical to complete.  In fact, floating engineered hardwood flooring is so flexible that you even pull it up and take it with you when you move if you wish.

What Other Advantages Does Engineered Hardwood Flooring Have to Offer?

Cost savings jump out as a big reason why many people choose engineered hardwood over a pure hardwood flooring installation.  Because only the top layer is expensive "showcase" wood and the layers are often less expensive functional wood, you get all of the value of a beautiful floor with a much lower price tag.

You don't sacrifice quality when you go with an engineered hardwood flooring solution.  This approach to flooring is just as durable and easy to maintain as the more expensive hardwood flooring option.  You can wax and "dress up" your hardwood floor so it will be just as elegant and enjoyable to family and guests as any other flooring alternative.  You can even refinish an engineered hardwood flooring installation if need be.  This makes engineered hardwood an outstanding option to consider as you plan your next big interior redecorating project.