More Information Regarding Engineered Hardwood Floors
An engineered hardwood floor offers many benefits that a solid floor does not, so they have become the most popular option for those interested in a more natural look in their homes. Solid floors were originally used for structure purposes only, which is rarely the case nowadays as methods of construction have progressed over the years. This article will explain why it is usually in your best interest to choose an engineered hardwood floor over one made from solid wood.
The engineered hardwood floor features a unique construction where two or more pieces of wood are placed together in order to form a single plank. The top layer of wood is visible while the under layer or layers is used to provide support.
This is not to be confused with laminate floors which use a false wood image for their top layer. Interestingly enough, this is the most common type of flooring all over the world, but North America still has a larger market for solid wood although this is starting to change.
An engineered hardwood floor can be constructed by one of two different methods, sandwich core and finger core. The former uses several thin pieces of wood that are glued together. This method allows certain pieces of wood to be selected that are very resistant to changes in humidity and temperature so there is very little chance of the wood warping over time. The different plies are then run perpendicular to one another in order to provide more stability. The latter construction method uses milled timber for the top layer, but beside that it is almost identical to the sandwich core method.
Because solid wood flooring is not necessarily better than an engineered hardwood floor or vice versa, it can be difficult to compare the two. For the most part however, you will choose the latter as it has much more opportunities for use. Solid wood features various limitations that you have to be careful of. For example, you should never have it installed directly over a concrete or in basements. It can be tempting to buy however, because it is less expensive but remember that if it is not going to be the right choice for you home you are not really saving any money.
An engineered hardwood floor can be manufactured in one of three different ways: rotary peel, sliced peel, and dry solid sawn. Rotary peel may be something you want to avoid because the wood is soaked before peeling which may lead it to be more prone to expand or contract depending on the climate. Sliced peel is a better choice but it can lead to splintering in some cases and can take on a plywood like appearance. The dry solid sawn method offers similar pros and cons, but does not have the plywood appearance.
