If you’re looking for a new hardwood floor, then you’ve probably heard of hardwood, but did you know that there are two different types of hardwood: solid and engineered? This article explains the differences in structure, manufacturing and installation between solid hardwood floors and engineered hardwood floors and what to think about when choosing the right one for your project.
Engineered vs. Solid Hardwood Flooring – Different Manufacturing Methods
Before we learn how these two floors are manufactured, we want to keep in mind one important aspect: both engineered and solid hardwood flooring are made with REAL hardwood. The first and the most important difference between solid floors and engineered floors is within their manufacturing process. Solid hardwood is manufactured from a solid piece of wood, which results in a solid piece of hardwood plank – one solid piece of material all the way through the hardwood floor, from sawing the wood until installing the floors; it’s all one “Solid” piece.
On the other hand, engineered hardwood contains only one thin layer of real hardwood – which is the visible layer at the top of the plank. Engineered flooring is made from multiple layers of softwood such as plywood or High Density Fibers (HDF), all glue down together with pressure, which results in a multi-layer plank with a top layer of pure hardwood. Engineered hardwood flooring was invented in order to overcome certain climate and environment problems solid hardwood floors are sensitive too, such as moisture and high humidity areas.
Installing Engineered Hardwood Floors vs. Installing Solid Hardwood Floors
One of the primary differences between these two hardwood styles is within the installation process. Solid hardwood floors are very sensitive to moisture. When humidity levels are high, solid hardwood can cup (edges raised to a cup shape), crown (center inflate, edges slope down) and even crack. Due to this reason, it is highly not recommended to install a solid hardwood floor in an area with high levels of moisture, such as a bathroom, kitchen or basement. An engineered hardwood floor is much more resistant and tolerant to moisture, humidity and can even withstand buckling and rippling. An important aspect to remember about hardwood is that there is no way to prevent the wood planks from expanding and contracting, since it’s a natural process wood undergoes when there are changing levels of humidity and moisture in the atmosphere. In solid hardwood flooring this process is much more visible because it affects each plank separately, while in engineered hardwood floors, the whole surface expands and contracts as one unit, which makes the gaps between the hardwood planks less visible. Most engineered hardwood flooring can be installed using the Glue Down Installation Method or by nailing/stapling it down to another subfloor. Solid hardwood flooring must be nailed down or stapled down to a subfloor (ex. plywood). The glue-down system just doesn’t give solid hardwood enough freedom to expand and contract, something that may cause cracks and defects on the hardwood floor.
Bamboo flooring is one type of solid hardwood flooring that can be glued down like engineered hardwood flooring, as well as nailed or stapled down like solid hardwood flooring. Another advantage of engineered hardwood is that it can be installed directly on cement and/or concrete slabs. Solid wood floors must be nailed down to a subfloor surface and cannot be laid directly onto concrete surfaces.
Something to consider when choosing your flooring is whether you might want to install a Radiant Heat Flooring System in the future. If you’re thinking of installing one, then you’ll probably want to go with the engineered floors as solid floors are not a good combination with this kind of system.
Durability and Long-Standing of Engineered vs. Solid Wood Floors
Usually, the primary influence on how long your hardwood floor is going to last depends on the type of finish on the hardwood, rather than its style (Engineered and Solid). Most modern styles are prefinished hardwood floors, both engineered and solid hardwood have comparable durability.
Design
When we’re talking about look, design and what is more appealing or which style to choose, it is important to keep in mind that if the hardwood species, stain and finish are identical in both kinds of flooring, then it is almost impossible to tell the difference between engineered flooring and solid flooring. Because they look so similar at their completed stage, the design aspect of choosing between these two options is pretty non-existent.
Today, the engineered flooring industry is so advanced and developed that you can find any species, with any stain, in a variety of widths and thickness – all catered to fit the most unique of tastes and styles. Due to the fact that there is only one thin layer of hardwood on engineered floors, you can achieve the same look as solid hardwood at a more affordable price. Here at Portofino we have both solid and engineered stained in a variety of different colors –in order to perfectly fit your tastes and preferences. If you have any questions on which option is right for you, connect with one of our Flooring Concierges and they can help you with the process!
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