About Engineered Wood Flooring
Many people like the look and convenience of hardwood floors but don't have the knowledge to install them. Engineered wood flooring is made of wood, costs and looks the same as hardwood flooring, but is easier to install. It can be installed different ways and holds up well in areas that can be hard on solid wood floors. Does this Spark an idea?
-
Identification
-
Engineered wood flooring is made of many thin layers of plywood with a thicker layer of hardwood glued to the top. This makes it look like a solid hardwood floor, but it can only be sanded down and refinished one or two times, while solid hardwood floors can be refinished several times. Solid cut engineered wood flooring is more expensive and shows more of the wood grain than knife cut engineered wood flooring produced by peeling the wood with a lathe.
Types
-
Engineered hardwood flooring comes in different sizes and types. Planks, strips and parquet engineered hardwood floors are available in a variety of finishes. You can get unfinished or prefinished engineered flooring and there are different grades from which to choose. These include AA grade that is similar to solid wood clear or first grade with no knots or color variation; AB grade that is similar to solid wood select or second grade with slight color variations and few knots; character grade that is similar to solid wood common or third grade with knots and color variations; and cabin or tavern grade that are lower priced but very inconsistent in cut, finish quality and color.
-
Benefits
-
Engineered wood flooring resists humidity and moisture better than solid wood floors. This makes engineered wood a better choice for kitchens, bathrooms, basements and over concrete. It's easy to install, looks good and is easy to maintain. It reduces dust and other triggers of allergies. It can be glued down over a concrete slab, stapled down over a wood subfloor or installed over other flat flooring such as ceramic tile or vinyl flooring. Engineered wood flooring can also be floated over an existing floor. In floating floors, individual engineered wood boards are glued together but aren't glued or attached to the permanent floor.
Warning
-
Though it looks like solid wood flooring, engineered wood is more processed and not as environmentally correct. It has to be taken care of since you can't refinish every time there's damage. Solid wood adds value to a home's price, but engineered flooring doesn't usually increase the value of your home. There are many manufacturers of engineered wood flooring, but you're better off choosing flooring from a company that has been in business for a number of years and is more likely to honor a warranty.
Considerations
-
The same care should be taken with engineered wood flooring as with solid hardwood floors. Place rugs inside and outside of all doors. Avoid wearing high heels and shoes with cleats on wood floors. Put area rugs or runners in high traffic areas to keep the surface from wearing out. Clip pets' nails, put felt protectors on furniture, sweep and vacuum regularly, damp mop when necessary and wipe up spills as soon as they happen.
-
