Picking the winner at the annual flooring awards is always a controversial topic, which leads to the ever-existing question – hardwood or engineered wood? The dimensions of the dispute grow into a real battle we prefer to stay away from because we think both flooring products don’t have to be compared since every one of the both has the features to fit different needs, desires and styles. However, here we selected a short article, comparing hardwood and engineered wood by several basic criteria. We hope this article will give you additional information and help you with choosing wood flooring.
The visual part
The benefits of having a real wood product such as hardwood floors are indisputable, however the modern technologies give us the chance to enjoy the beauty of the wood on more affordable price with the presentation of the engineered wood material. In fact, engineered wood is made with a real wood top layer and can bring the same vibe to your home as all the wood species, used for solid wood timbers.
The price
Like a completely natural material, solid wood tends to be more expensive, especially when more exotic and luxurious species of wood used. However, you should be careful with the lower-priced engineered wood, because the chance for really poor quality is big.
The structure
Solid wood has the structure of the wood species, which is made from and you can learn more about the specifics of every type of wood by asking the Floor Fitting Experts experts. Real wood has a structure with pores of different size, depending on every different type. The pores allow the expansion and contraction of the material due to humidity and high-temperature amplitudes in order to prevent cracking, however, wood is a material, which requires maintenance for preventing issues. Engineered wood is made from several layers of lumber or plywood, glued together for extra stability and topped with a 2 to 8 mm thick real wood top layer.
Installation
Solid wood comes in timbers and is fitted directly on the subfloor, being concrete, plywood, existing flooring, etc. The subfloor should be perfectly prepared in order to prevent future flooding issues, which includes moisture checking, since damp concrete will cause wood “ballooning” and then cracking and loose flooring, also cleaning, because the dust will react with the wood adhesive and also levelling for smooth installation results. Engineered wood comes in planks, which can be glued or nailed directly on the subfloor, or installed floating when the subfloor can’t be levelled and dry for some reason, or in order to secure running pipes and cables under.
Sanding
Solid wood can be sanded several times during the life of the floor because hardwood timbers are thick and can experience more treatment than engineered wood. If the top layer of the engineered wood is too thin, it can’t be sanded in order to remove scratches and worn patches. Both materials need sealing after the sanding process for extra durability and high traffic and wear and tear resistance.
Whether you decide you want hardwood or engineered wood in your home or office, Floor Fitting Experts can help you with the installation, sanding, repair and maintenance services.
