Engineered Hardwood Floors Vs Solid Hardwood

Engineered flooring is typically between 3 8 to 3 4 thick whereas solid hardwood is 1 2 to 3 4 thick.

Engineered hardwood floors vs solid hardwood.

Longer installation solid hardwood floors take a bit longer to be installed stained and protected than engineered flooring. Pros of engineered hardwood flooring. Solid wood flooring comes in long planks usually made of a hardwood species. A square edge vs.

Solid wood flooring vs. It is always nailed down to the subfloor a process that requires some skill. Engineered hardwood tends to be cheaper. Solid wood flooring expands and contracts with changes in your home s relative humidity.

How long will an engineered wood floor last. Versatility and ease of installation. The exception to this would be comparing a basic solid hardwood against a rarer engineered hardwood. Solid hardwood flooring shaw solid hardwood flooring diagram solid wood is milled from a single 3 4 thick piece of hardwood.

Since solid hardwood is cut from a single piece it usually will have more value. The damaged parts are easier to be matched with the replacement wood unlike engineered flooring which can sometimes be hard to match and repair. When solid hardwood is sand and refinished on site there is the potential for true smooth surfaces i e. A beveled edge and the stain as well as poly covers the entire surface for a more contemporary look.

Depending on the thickness of the veneer that tops the flooring the quality of flooring used and how well you maintain your floors engineered hardwood can last a lifetime. Engineered wood flooring. Solid hardwood is known to warp and expand especially if humidity exceeds 60 or so within the home. It is milled with tongues and grooves on opposite edges so that the boards interlock when installed.

Normally installers compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion gap between the floor and the wall. Most prefer the looks of the solid hardwood as well as the longevity. 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. Solid hardwood tends to have better resale value.

For more common hardwoods solid wood flooring may be cheaper overall although it will still take longer to install.