“My husband and I are installing hardwood flooring in our home and were given the choice between solid and engineered floors – what’s the difference?”
When it comes to adding warmth, beauty and style to your home, nothing compares to hardwood flooring. So, here’s the question… Solid or Engineered?
Solid wood flooring is a solid piece of wood from top to bottom. It can be sanded and refinished several times during it’s service life. The downside of solid hardwood is that it expands and contracts in reaction to changes in moisture and temperature. Because of this, solid wood flooring is only recommended for rooms at ground level or above. It’s very important that the flooring installer leave the right amount of space for natural expansion and contraction – too tight and your floor will buckle, too loose and your board gaps will get too wide. The wider the plank you are installing, the more pronounced this issue becomes.
Engineered wood floors are made using multiple wood or wood composite veneers beneath the visible top layer. These veneers can be the same or different species and the grain of each veneer can run in different directions, increasing its stability. The alternating plies resist expanding and contracting during fluctuations in humidity and temperature. Engineered wood flooring can be installed above, on or below grade and can even be sanded and refinished, depending on the thickness of the top layer.
The choice is yours, but we highly recommend engineered hardwood flooring for life on the island.
Thanks for reading!
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