Do You Know the Difference Between Solid Wood Flooring and Engineered Hardwood?

You love the look, but now you’re really confused. Why are there two kinds of wood flooring installation? What’s the difference between solid and engineered?

About Floors ‘n More will explain the difference here!

The latter was created in the 1960s and, back then, it was a substitute for solid, with many thinking solid was the only real deal.

Like most anything, technological advances have really improved it and now, they are both considered the real thing in hardwood flooring.

As the names imply, solid is solid all the way through. Engineered is a layered product, with real wood plus veneers and other materials. The layered construction makes it more stable, so it handles water and moisture a lot better.

Excess water can warp or buckle solid, so the installation choices are fairly limited.

To break it down:

● Both are real wood, and red oak, hickory and Brazilian cherry seem to be the most popular choices for engineered. Both are durable. However, when it’s engineered, it’s more moisture-resistant, so installation choices are more flexible. For example, it’s very common to see engineered in below-grade installations, like basements, because it can stand up to dampness, (as long as it has the proper subfloor preparation) and the heat above radiant heating systems. You don’t need to worry about buckling, either.
● Both add value to the home. That’s good news, especially if you’re thinking of selling, but really, isn’t that nice to know anyway? Engineered is also considered real wood, so that real estate sales agents are even legally able to advertise it as real wood in their marketing materials.
● Although both can be sanded and refinished, solid can be done numerous times, while engineered can only be done once or twice, and the thicker the better.
● Installation is a little easier with engineered. Solid can only be nailed or stapled, but engineered can be nailed, stapled, clicked or glued.
● Solid does have a little more choice of species when it comes to wood hardness. For engineered, it’s best to stick with walnut, birch, maple, or Indonesian and South American exotics. Pine is much too soft to be used ever in engineered.

Come into the About Floors ‘n More showroom in Jacksonville, FL, so our pros can show you the great things that you can do with a wood flooring installation.