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What’s the Difference Between Engineered Wood Flooring and Hardwood Flooring

Last Updated on April 4, 2024 by Admin

Whether you are trying to remodel or build a new house, engineered flooring is an excellent method to give your interior an attractive and natural look. To make it more sturdy and lasting, engineered wooden flooring comprises three layers of wood. Engineered wood flooring has outstanding visual appeal and is easier to clean and maintain than solid wood and other popular options. But how engineered flooring differs from hardwood flooring? Let’s find out!

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Overview About Engineered and Hardwood Flooring

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring is designed to appear and feel just like hardwood flooring on the surface. Its construction, however, merely uses a thin hardwood coating to create its appearance, while the core is made of plywood. Engineered flooring is available in bonded or interlocking planks, making installation easier and suitable for do-it-yourselfers. It can’t be refinished as frequently as solid flooring because the top layer is only a thin layer of hardwood, but with good maintenance, it can also last up to 30 years and more.

Although engineered wood flooring is less expensive, it cannot be refinished to increase lifespan. The decision is quite personal because both surfaces are used throughout the house and offer comparable benefits.

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Hardwood Flooring

One of the most common alternatives is hardwood flooring constructed of solid wood. It commonly comprises hardwood species like maple, oak, or walnut. In addition, it has a substantially longer lifespan, which allows for repeated sanding and refinishing.

The name solid flooring refers to a solid piece of milled wood. In order to install hardwood flooring, it is necessary to attach the wood planks to the subfloor. This is a project that demands expertise. Solid wood can easily be sanded and refinished multiple times over its lifespan to retain its beauty.

Hardwood vs Engineered Wood Flooring

Appearance and Comfort

The width of hardwood flooring boards can range from 8 inches to 12 inches. Solid flooring typically has closer seams between the boards after installation. It comes in prefinished and unfinished panels in various colours and species for further customisation.

Engineered wood flooring gives greater width flexibility and resembles hardwood almost perfectly. Once installed, engineered wood flooring could be mistaken for natural wood due to the veneer covering. There are fewer colour and style options for engineered wood flooring than hardwood, nearly always sold prefinished.

Installation

Most hardwood floors are fastened to the subfloor with nails. Tongue-and-groove planks are also frequently used for installations. The subfloor, often plywood, must be fastened before the hardwood flooring can be installed. The tongue is used to nail the boards to the subfloor, so the nails are hidden in the finished floor.

While some engineered wood floors are also fastened to the subfloor, the click-and-lock system is typically used. Tongue-and-groove boards are used in this method of installation because they interlock like Legos to form a watertight joint. The technology does not adhere to the subfloor, which is often foam or cork.

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Maintenance and Care

Solid hardwood is comparatively simple to keep and clean. Most floors require periodic mopping with a specialised wood cleaner to treat stains in addition to routine sweeping and vacuuming. Just refrain from cleaning wood floors with water or steam.

But since hardwood flooring can be repeatedly sanded and refinished to maintain its brand-new appearance over time, it is superior for long-term upkeep. Like hardwood flooring, engineered wood flooring must be swept and vacuumed to keep it clean. It can be revitalised by sometimes wiping it with a wood cleaner to help avoid stains.

Most engineered wood floors lack a top hardwood layer thick enough to be sanded and refinished over time. Before the hardwood layer wears down, and the planks must be repaired, they can typically be refinished once or twice.

Lifespan

The lifespan of hardwood flooring is substantially longer than most other flooring options. With the proper upkeep and care, hardwood flooring can last for 30 to 100 years. This explains why some homes from the 1850s still have hardwood floors.

Even though engineered wood flooring can’t be refinished as frequently as solid hardwood,Alya Koe from muggyropes.com says, it can last up to 30 years or longer with the proper care. One advantage of engineered wood flooring planks, particularly those using the click-and-lock technique, is that they may be easily replaced even when the entire floor cannot be sanded and refinished.

Size

The dimensions of hardwood flooring boards are typically 2 1/4 inches wide, 3/4 inches thick, and 12 to 84 inches long. The plans for hardwood flooring generally are always at most four inches. However, there are several different widths and thicknesses available.

At roughly 3/8 to 9/16 inches thick, engineered wood flooring planks are typically thinner than hardwood flooring planks. However, it is generally offered in much wider planks, up to seven inches wide, and can be anywhere from 12 to 60 inches long.

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Heat, Water, and Environment

Hardwood flooring is more sensitive to water and the environment than other types of flooring. Because it can bend and expand, hardwood is not advised for installations where moisture or humidity can pass through.

Even though it isn’t waterproof, engineered wood flooring performs better than hardwood in humid environments. The stability of plywood construction makes this flooring less prone to warping and swelling. To further guard against water spills and damage, engineered wood floors might include a protective layer atop the hardwood veneer.

Final Thoughts

Hardwood and engineered wood flooring are essentially the same and can be used interchangeably in most residential settings. There are more parallels between the two flooring choices than there are differences, making a choice ultimately subjective. Hardwood and engineered wood can be used interchangeably with one another, with one exception: water damage.

When it comes to high-moisture areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements, engineered wood flooring is a better alternative than solid hardwood. However, both types of flooring offer a plethora of design alternatives for whole-house instals. Ultimately, it comes down to cost (hardwood flooring is more expensive) and personal taste.

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