Engineered hardwood flooring has, at times, gotten a bad review or two. You may have heard that it just isn’t nearly as good as solid hardwood. You might have heard that it doesn’t last nearly as long.
One of the main reasons for these assumptions was the fact that, in the past, engineered hardwood flooring was made with a top layer, so thin it couldn’t be properly resanded. While these types of engineered woods still exist today, knowing what to look for can mean the difference between a good engineered wood and a bad one.
Stability is Important
One of the great things about engineered hardwood flooring, is that it is now more stable than ever. The top layer, which is actually real wood, is now thicker and stronger and offers much more support. It is a feasible wood option in areas where solid hardwood simply can’t be placed, such as the basement. And it’s more resistant to water than solid hardwood as well.
The engineered hardwood backing is made of a composite material that has layers of wood product that runs in criss-cross directions. This reduces the expansion and contracting that usually occurs in solid wood, and also keeps this flooring from warping or buckling.
Best Uses for Engineered Flooring
There are times when engineered hardwood flooring is simply the best option. For instance, if the floor is being placed directly atop concrete, in basements or in any other area where moisture is a definite factor. The extra stability we mentioned means it will hold up better than real wood under these conditions.
Engineered hardwood is also the best choice if you are installing the floor over radiant heating, again because of the increased stability of the material. Installation over an existing floor is also possible with engineered hardwood flooring, since the old floor doesn’t have to be removed. This is because engineered wood is thinner than real wood, and doesn’t add too much bulk to the floor.
There are many other situations in which engineered hardwood is the best choice for flooring. We’d love to speak with you about your own particular needs.
At Wholesale Flooring & Granite, we want to make sure you are completely satisfied with your choice of flooring and we’ll do our best to make that happen. Feel free to visit our showroom located in Baton Rouge, LA to speak to a flooring professional about engineered hardwood flooring and how it might suit your needs.
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