Engineered Hardwood Floors Vs Real Hardwood

Margot cavin the spruce.

Engineered hardwood floors vs real hardwood.

You re still getting real. Caring for engineered hardwood flooring is similar to solid hardwoods as the top layer the wear layer that will come into contact with the cleaning materials is essentially the same for both with any hardwoods engineered or solid you will want to avoid abrasive or harsh chemicals like ammonia and avoid using excessive soaking as hardwood is. Engineered boards on the other hand are constructed by joining multiple high density fiberboard layers sandwiched inside a solid wood top layer and hardwood backing making it extremely tough. Some experts say that engineered hardwood does fine in bathrooms kitchens and even basements.

Engineered hardwood planks hardwood planks classified as engineered feature multiple layers typically three to five bonded together under extreme heat and pressure. Normally installers compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion gap between the floor and the wall. But another reason people love engineered hardwood is its application. Unlike solid hardwood engineered hardwood can go over concrete under the right conditions like in a condo.

That is because its crisscrossed layers below the surface provide extra strength and resistance to buckling and warping. Explore which is better for kitchens basements based on cost resale value durability and more. Engineered hardwood is a bit better than solid hardwood in terms of waterproof. Solid hardwood flooring boards tend to be narrower than engineered hardwood flooring.

It can be installed on the basement floor and other places prone to humidity. Solid wood flooring expands and contracts with changes in your home s relative humidity. Solid hardwood is available in both pre finished and unfinished boards. Whereas hardwood flooring is made of a solid piece of wood engineered planks employ only a veneer of real hardwood.

Homeadvisor s flooring guide explains the differences between laminate and engineered hardwood and reviews the pros and cons of each. Solid hardwood generally has very tight seams between boards and there is a great range of colors and species than is found with engineered hardwood flooring. Solid hardwood flooring shaw solid hardwood flooring diagram solid wood is milled from a single 3 4 thick piece of hardwood. It just uses less hardwood than solid wood flooring does.

Solid hardwood boards are milled from a thick piece of lumber so its thickness varies from inch to 7 16 inch.