Engineered Hardwood Floors Vs Solid Hardwood

Engineered hardwood tends to be cheaper.

Engineered hardwood floors vs solid hardwood.

Solid wood flooring vs. The exception to this would be comparing a basic solid hardwood against a rarer engineered hardwood. Solid hardwood flooring is available in a wide array of wood species including oak maple and black walnut as well as regional specific choices like pecan mesquite and others. Solid hardwood tends to have better resale value.

Most prefer the looks of the solid hardwood as well as the longevity. Pros of engineered hardwood flooring. Unlike solid hardwood flooring engineered flooring can be installed in any room that you choose even a basement because it can withstand moisture due to the layers of material in the flooring that are designed to withstand buckling and rippling engineered flooring can also be installed over radiant floor heating. It is milled with tongues and grooves on opposite edges so that the boards interlock when installed.

With an exotic or even highly coveted hardwood such as maple engineered flooring is likely to be cheaper overall. Engineered flooring is typically between 3 8 to 3 4 thick whereas solid hardwood is 1 2 to 3 4 thick. Since solid hardwood is cut from a single piece it usually will have more value. Solid wood flooring comes in long planks usually made of a hardwood species.

It is always nailed down to the subfloor a process that requires some skill. Solid wood flooring expands and contracts with changes in your home s relative humidity. Versatility and ease of installation. How long will an engineered wood floor last.

Longer installation solid hardwood floors take a bit longer to be installed stained and protected than engineered flooring. The damaged parts are easier to be matched with the replacement wood unlike engineered flooring which can sometimes be hard to match and repair. Solid hardwood flooring shaw solid hardwood flooring diagram solid wood is milled from a single 3 4 thick piece of hardwood. Engineered wood flooring.

Engineered hardwood can go in the same rooms as solid hardwood but its engineered construction also makes it a great choice for basements and over radiant heating and concrete floors still avoid bathrooms and laundry rooms because engineered flooring is slightly thinner than most solid hardwood it can also be good for projects where your hardwood needs to match the height of an adjoining. Solid hardwood is known to warp and expand especially if humidity exceeds 60 or so within the home. For more common hardwoods solid wood flooring may be cheaper overall although it will still take longer to install. When solid hardwood is sand and refinished on site there is the potential for true smooth surfaces i e.

Normally installers compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion gap between the floor and the wall.