Floating Engineered Flooring

Floating engineered flooring is a new favorite of homeowners and designers alike. Thanks to its construction, it has greater dimensional stability than solid hardwood floors. This plus the fact that it is very easy to install have contributed in so small measure to its popularity.

An engineered floor by definition is one that has been made to specifications designed to improve its performance. From moisture and pest resistance to ease of installation with the click and lock system and smaller environmental impact – a floating engineered floor is well suited to modern lifestyle.

What is an Engineered Floor?

An engineered floor is made by gluing together layers of wood. The lower layers are made of cheaper and weather resistant varieties. These woods are easily replenished and are generally moisture and pest resistant. Alternately pieces of wood that are left over during quarter sawing of wood planks can be used in the construction of an engineered floor. The topmost layer of an engineered floor is obtained by slicing a hardwood stem and gluing the thin layer of the expensive hardwood on top of the engineered board. It is pertinent to note that unless you are using bamboo sticks, all bamboo floors are engineered floors. The entire bamboo engineered floor is made up of bamboo including both – the top most and the lower layers.

Properties of an Engineered Floor

• A solid hardwood floor has all its grains oriented in a single direction. An engineered floor, on the other hand, has many layers of wood. Each layer has a different orientation than its neighbors. When exposed to moisture each layer expands in a different direction. The result is a more stable floor.
• Characteristics of an engineered floor like the Janka index, appearance and wear characteristics are determined by the species of wood on the top, the thickness of the topmost layer and the type of finish employed. A maple engineered floor for example will look like a solid maple floor and will be as scratch resistant as a solid wood floor.
• The number of times an engineered floor can be refinished depends on the thickness of the layer on top. Generally it can be refinished 5 to 6 times compared to as many as 12 times for a solid wood floor. The life of an engineered wood floor is thus apparently shorter than a solid wood floor.
• In areas like the basement that lie below grade – engineered floors are the only choice for a wood flooring fan. Solid wood floors cannot possibly withstand the high moisture level in below grade areas of the house.

Floating Installation

A wood floor has to be nailed or glued in place. An engineered floor on the other hand can be installed directly over a vapor barrier. An engineered floor is resistant to moisture but if it is immersed in water as might happen during accidental flooding it might curl up slightly at the corners. A good engineered floor recovers well even from severe water damage. It would remain usable till it is time for the next remodeling. Since the engineered floor does not expand or contract as much as a solid wood floor, it can be installed as floating flooring without using glue or nails.

A floating engineered floor is an excellent choice in areas prone to moisture and in rooms where you are planning to install in-floor radiant heating systems. The click and lock system of an engineered floor is designed for convenient and speedy installation. Ease of installation reduces the time and on site labor needed to install the floor resulting in considerable savings in installation costs. Logically the material costs must also be lower as most of the floor is made up of cheaper varieties of wood. In practice, the difference in material costs of an engineered and solid hardwood floor is significant only for the more expensive types of wood like Maple and exotic wood species.

The importance of sourcing your engineered floor from a reputable store like Contempo Floor Coverings cannot be understated. A quick net search will reveal horror stories about engineered wood floors that performed sub-optimally. Probe deeper and you will find that the suboptimal performance was either a result of buying cheaper substandard product or disregard for installation instructions. A good engineered floor from a reputable store and brand if installed properly will look and last as well as a solid wood floor.

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