Because wood flooring is a major investment, you probably have a lot of questions related to choosing the right product. In this post, we put together the top FAQs for purchasing wood flooring. We also provide the answers to help you make an informed decision.
What’s The Difference Between Engineered And Solid Hardwood?
Engineered hardwood flooring has a top layer of solid hardwood fused onto several base layers of plywood. This is done to add stability and reduce the amount of virgin hardwood that’s used in the final product. A solid hardwood flooring plank is composed entirely of a single piece of wood.
What Are The Advantages Of Engineered Hardwood?
Engineered hardwood is typically more stable than solid hardwood. This means that it’s more resistant to expanding, warping and cupping. Engineered hardwood is generally considered to be more sustainable than solid hardwood because it uses less virgin hardwood. Engineered hardwood can also be used with underfloor heating – something that’s not advised with solid hardwood flooring. Engineered hardwood is also often more readily available in longer and wider planks.
What Are The Advantages Of Solid Hardwood?
One of the biggest advantages of purchasing solid hardwood flooring is that it can be refinished many more times than engineered hardwood. Engineered hardwood only has a thin layer of solid hardwood that can only be sanded down a limited number of times before it’s completely worn off. You can typically refinish engineered hardwood up to three times, whereas you’re only limited by the thickness of the planks with solid hardwood. It’s also generally believed that solid hardwood is easier to repair. You can often remove and replace a couple of planks of solid hardwood, whereas it’s much more difficult with engineered hardwood.
Can You Install Wood Flooring In The Bathroom?
It used to be that installing wood flooring in a bathroom was a non-starter. Heavy moisture can cause wood flooring to expand, warp and cup. However, with the advent of engineered hardwood and the use of oiled finishes, it is possible to install wood flooring in a bathroom with few problems. You’ll just need to be sure to maintain the finish and be judicious in mopping up any spills or excess moisture as soon as possible.
