Wood flooring is an essential floor covering for many homeowners, but you have two specific types from which to choose. Both solid and engineered flooring is highly sought after, but the differences between the two could make one better for you than the other, so let’s find out what those differences are right now.
Wood flooring offers a variety
Solid hardwood flooring is the most well-known wood floor option, with wood through and through, excellent personalization options, and a lifespan that can easily reach 100 years or more. These floors add fantastic value to your home, which can be an asset whether you plan to keep your home or sell it.
Solid wood is milled from a single 3/4”-thick piece of hardwood. Because of its thickness, a solid hardwood floor can be sanded and refinished over several generations of use. Solid wood flooring expands and contracts with changes in your home’s relative humidity. Normally, installers compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion gap between the floor and the wall. Base molding or quarter-round is traditionally used to hide the extra space.
Engineered flooring offers a layered construction with a veneer of natural wood on top of plywood, topped with a wear layer for outstanding performance, even in heavy traffic. These materials are also a good choice in basement areas, where solid hardwood cannot be installed.
Engineered wood is produced with three to five layers of hardwood. Each layer is stacked in a cross-grain configuration and bonded together under heat and pressure. As a result, engineered wood flooring is less likely to be affected by changes in humidity and can be installed at all levels of the home.
Both products can be refinished and offer choices for your favorite species, stain color, and finish type, so durability and personalization are available in both products. If you would like further to discuss the differences between solid and engineered hardwood flooring, visit us any time you’re in the area.
Let us help you find the best wood flooring
If you’re looking for excellent flooring materials and services, Affordable Carpets & More Flooring is a great place to start your search. We offer a comprehensive inventory of products to meet all your needs, regardless of how many rooms need flooring, and associates that are ready to work towards your best results.
We are proud to serve Campbell, Saratoga, Santa Clara, and Los Altos, all from our San Jose, CA showroom. Be sure to visit us at your convenience when you are ready to find the hardwood flooring company that can best serve your needs.
Consider these factors when deciding between solid or engineered hardwood flooring:
Where’s it going?
Your hardwood floor will be in one of three locations: On grade – at ground level Above grade – second level or higher Below grade – below ground level, including basements or sunken living rooms Traditional solid hardwood flooring is not well-suited for high-moisture areas, such as bathrooms or below-grade installations. The construction of engineered hardwood gives it enhanced structural stability and moisture resistance, so that it may be installed at any grade level.
What type of subfloor do you have?
If you plan to install over concrete, you must use an engineered product to ensure structural integrity. Solid wood flooring or engineered flooring may be used over plywood, wood, or OSB subfloors.
Will moisture be in the room?
If so, you’ll want to select an engineered hardwood. The moisture resistance of an engineered hardwood makes it suitable for rooms where the presence of moisture is possible, such as bathrooms.
