If you’re looking to add warmth and beauty to your home, nothing compares to genuine hardwood flooring. hardwood floors are both made from 100% real wood, but there are significant differences in their overall construction. Engineered wood floors behave a little differently than solid plank floors do. They tend to be easier to install and are usually less expensive than solid hardwood. However, not all wood floors are created equal. Depending on the type or species of wood the flooring is made from will determine what type of performance qualities it has. Understanding these differences will go a long way to help you choose the wood floor that’s right for your home. Solid hardwood floors are just that — they’re made from solid wood. Each board of solid hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of hardwood that’s about 3/4 of an inch thick. Because it’s so thick it can be sanded down and refinished for however long the flooring is in the house.
Engineered hardwood is a versatile and resilient flooring option that can be installed in most areas of your home. genuine wood, this flooring gives your home an updated look and feel. Engineered hardwood is made of a core of hardwood or plywood with a layer of hardwood veneer affixed to the top surface. It’s more resistant to moisture and heat compared to solid Solid hardwood expands and contracts in reaction to changes in moisture and temperature, so solid wood floors are only recommended for rooms at ground level or above. The unique construction of engineered wood creates a structure that is less likely to buckle, gap, or react to fluctuations in humidity and temperature. You can install engineered flooring on any level, including below ground. It's a great choice for finished basements and bathrooms. Both solid and engineered hardwood floors are designed for beauty and durability. Their tough surface can stand up to activeHowever, both solid and engineered hardwood flooring have different performance attributes.
Solid wood flooring is permanently nailed to the subfloor. Because of expansion and contraction issues, installers will normally leave a gap between the wall and the floor to accommodate swelling. This type of flooring should only be installed in parts of the home above grade and only over plywood, wood or oriented strand board subfloors. Engineered floors have enhanced stability, which provides slightly more resistance to everyday wear- and-tear and also toSolid hardwood floors are more prone to shrinking or expanding based on humidity levels. Engineered wood floors can be more resistant to moisture and offer a bit more stability than solid hardwood. product can tolerate water laying on it, the increased moisture levels over concrete aren't a problem for most engineeredUnlike solid hardwood, engineered hardwood can go over concrete under the right conditions. Solid hardwood flooring can be glued, nailed or stapled to a wood subfloor. These types of installations are best left to
the pros, since they can challenge even experienced DIYers. Engineered wood floors can be either nailed down or glued down, like a traditional hardwood installation. They can also be installed as "floating" floors, in which the boards attach to each other and "float" above the subfloor. Whoever installs your solid hardwood floors must have enough experience to leave the right amount of space for hardwood’s natural expansion and contraction. The individual boards can’t be too tight or too loose. If they’re too tight your floorIf it’s too loose the gaps between the boards will get too wide in the winter. Solid hardwood flooring installation is perhaps the most challenging of all flooring types. However with the right tools and planning skilled DIYers can handle the job with stunning results. If you’re unsure if you’re up to the task, review our DIY skill assessment, so you know what to expect. Engineered hardwood flooring is an easier and faster DIY installation.
Armstrong engineered hardwood flooring comes with aThis simple two-step process eliminates the need for messy glue or nails. Both engineered and solid hardwood flooring can be refinished. Solid hardwood can be refinished up to 10 times depending onEngineered boards requires less refinishing over its lifetime – typically only one or two times. Refinishing your hardwood floors can be a DIY project, but it requires some skill and a bit of patience. can range between $200-$300 dollars. If you’re not completely confident in your skill level, you may want to consider hiring The cost of solid vs. engineered hardwood is typically dependent on the quality and species of the wood. hardwood, such as maple, may be more expensive than engineered flooring. For more common hardwoods, solid wood flooring may be cheaper overall, although it will take longer to install. The layers in the buildup underneath the top layer of engineered hardwood also play a role in the final price.
anywhere between three and 12 layers of plywood and unfinished white wood, depending on the thickness and quality of the finishedArmstrong's price estimator is a helpful tool to get an estimate for the cost of buying and installing a hardwood> > Engineered Flooring: Easier Hardwood? Engineered Flooring: Easier Hardwood? None can deny the appeal of a hardwood floor. It has a long tradition of luxury, and a timeless beauty. Installing a hardwood floor is also expensive and difficult. Those looking for that classic look and feel might do well to consider engineered hardwood flooring. When determining whether or not to invest in engineered wood flooring, here are the essentials to keep in mind. Unlike conventional hardwood, which comes straight out of a tree and into your home, engineered hardwood is a more complex product that consists of several layers. The outermost is a hardwood veneer, a thin slice of wood (less than 1/8″) of whatever species you desire. The inner layers are made of plywood, high density fiberboard, or hardwood.
The core layers make the product more stable than regular hardwood, while the outer veneer surface adds beauty and authenticity. Engineered hardwood is different than a hardwood laminate because the surface is made of real wood. While laminate has a core of high density fiberboard, its surface is basically a picture of wood (or any other material, for that matter). Laminate is less expensive than engineered and solid hardwood, but has a different look and feel due to its make up. Engineered hardwood flooring is designed to reduce the moisture problems associated with conventional hardwood. Its layers block moisture and provide added stability to your floor. Engineered flooring will not swell or warp, making it very low maintenance. Environmental Advantages of Engineered Hardwood Choosing engineered flooring is considered more environmentally-friendly than traditional hardwood for a few reasons. Veneer is sliced rather than cut with a saw. This process produces no sawdust, which means that all of the tree’s wood can be used.
The sawdust produced making hardwood boards is wasted wood (and adds up to a significant amount). Hardwood trees grow much more slowly than the trees used to make engineered flooring cores. Because more surface area is produced making veneer, installing traditional hardwood uses many times the amount of slow growing tree. This makes the replenishing time much longer. Engineered Hardwood Flooring Cons There are, in actuality, very few principle drawbacks to this type of hardwood flooring, but this doesn’t make it a foolproof project or even the right floor for every application. Comparable to solid hardwood in terms of cost, engineered floors are still considerably more expensive than laminate, tile, and carpet. That said, by far, the biggest concern as a homeowner should be avoiding shoddy or inferior engineered manufacturers and products. Veneers that are too thin will prevent sanding and refinishing opportunities that may double the lifetime of the floor.
Some veneers are so thin and poorly made that they can prematurely warp or fade. Core layers must still be fashioned from high-quality wood. Some manufacturers try to cut corners by using fiberboard or oriented strand board that may compromise the stability of your floor and, at the very least, will result in an inferior flooring product. Is The Floor Worth It? Engineered flooring is definitively easier to install, in fact, some handy homeowners are even enticed into installing their own engineered floors. It’s still a major project with big financial implications, so don’t over-reach on your home improvement skills. Even for the majority of homeowners who hire a flooring contractor for the job, you’ll save a hefty sum on installation, which is important given that most engineered flooring is more expensive than solid wood. High-quality engineered floors (thick veneers, quality substrate) will usually cost somewhere between $8 and $12 per square foot. How much extra money this costs and whether cheaper installation offsets this price often depends on the type of wood you’re choosing.