Solid or Engineered Hardwood Flooring?

One of the common misconceptions about hardwood flooring is that solid hardwood is better than engineered hardwood.  People think that because a floor is engineered that it is inferior and made from less desired parts of the wood.  The fact is that both solid and engineered flooring do different things and should be used in different environments. Actually, the reason engineered hardwood was invented was because solid hardwood flooring is more sensitive to moisture and humidity.
 

The general characteristics of wood

 
The different species of hardwood are all natural products. They carry natural properties which adapt to the environment around them. If you have ever purchased a hardwood floor before, you know that you need to let the wood acclimate for a specified amount of time in the room it is going to be installed in. What this does is it allows the wood to settle and adjust itself to the humidity and moisture in that room.  Wood is a living element and will always expand or contract based on the characteristics of the temperature.
 

See, if you install wood before it acclimates, then after an installation the wood can expand into itself which will cause cupping and warping. The wood may even pop out of the floor. Or, if the hardwood shrinks, those tight fits you made will loosen up and you’ll be walking on loose boards.
 

So as you can see, wood itself is a very sensitive material and can backfire on you if not installed or treated properly.
 

Where to use solid hardwood flooring?

 
Solid hardwood flooring is a great product. It can be fully customized and cut to your specifications. You can choose any species of wood and apply any finish to match your decor. One prerequisite for solid hardwood flooring is that it can’t be near any moisture. Because it is one piece of wood, if any part of it is exposed to harsh elements, it will warp and your new floor will be ruined.
 

This means that solid hardwood flooring cannot generally be applied in basements or other potentially damp environments. These damp environments create an unstable balance of humidity and moisture which greatly fluctuate throughout the year, so any amount of acclimation will not let the wood set to meet the balance of the room.
 

Also, solid hardwood floors must be nailed down. They cannot only be glued down to the floor. This means that you must also have plywood as an under-layment. The solid hardwood gets hammered into the plywood which makes a solid connection for a secure floor.  Although you must be careful where you install it, there are many benefits to solid hardwood flooring.
 

Does solid hardwood last longer than engineered hardwood flooring?

 
A common misconception is that you can get more use from a solid product than an engineered. Although it may seem like you can re-sand a solid hardwood floor time and time again, each floor can generally be sanded only about 1-3 times. Even though the hardwood is of solid construction all the way through, there are nails just millimeters away from the surface which hold the wood in place. Once you sand down to the nails, the wood is no longer desired to be used as a floor.
 

Where to use engineered hardwood flooring?

 
Because everyone likes hardwood, and because you can’t put solid hardwood everywhere, the floor gods decided to create engineered hardwood flooring. This is a fantastic product which is just as durable, lasts just as long, and is generally more affordable than solid hardwood flooring.
 

The construction of an engineered floor…

 
The reason engineered is more tolerable to moisture and humidity is because of the perpendicular layering of each layer of wood. The top layer faces one direction, then under that there is another piece of wood which runs perpendicular to the top piece. Then below that piece, there is another piece which runs perpendicular and is of a different thickness and composition. There can be multiple layers in an engineered hardwood, and the more layers, the more stable the floor will be.
 
Each layer of wood acts as a barrier against any moisture problems that may be going on beneath the floor. The perpendicular pattern doesn’t let moisture directly effect the layer above. Its as if the top layer has an army of other woods holding their position against the elements of moisture and humidity. This is why engineered hardwood is more versatile. And yes, those pieces of wood that make up the layers in between are generally not choice pieces of wood which generally means engineered hardwoods are slightly lower in price.
 
But one draw back is that you can’t always find the color or finish you are looking for because most engineered floors are pre-finished. That means the stain and protective coat or already on the floor when you buy it. This can be very convenient, but for very particular customers looking for specific colors, it can be difficult to find an exact match.
 
At any point in time, solid hardwood can be custom made to the client’s specifications. They choose the wood which is always a commodity like cotton, coffee, or gold. This also means that the price fluctuates based on the market. Then they choose what lengths and widths they want the wood cut to. And finally, the wood is stained and sealed to the exact color the client wants. With engineered, sometimes what you want has been discontinued and it is difficult to match.
 

So which type of hardwood is right for you?

 
The best thing to do is have us come to your home or office to see exactly what type of environment the floor is going to be introduced to. Once we determine whether you need an engineered or solid hardwood floor, then we can begin exploring more options like the species of wood, the type of edge you would like, the grade of the wood, the finish and much more. If all else fails, then you should consider vinyl flooring which is very popular and is made to look like hardwood flooring. (and they do a darn good job at it too)

Visit our Los Angeles Flooring showrooms for more information about Flooring.