Engineered Wood VS Solid Wood Flooring: Which one is better? This is a debut that can take a life of it's own. Awhile back I wrote a blog on "The Pro's and Con's of Laminated floors" And I touch upon some of these features. But wood has different features that you will want to consider when making a choice. So what are the Con's and what are the Pro's?
Engineered Wood:
- Is not solid wood. Instead it has one, two or three layer of wood over a plywood bottom. (The one version is called a "plank")
- Can be laid like "floating" floor and comes pre-finished. They come in tongue and groove and you just need to "click" it together. No need for glue or nails.
- Because of it's plywood base, engineered wood is less susceptible to expansion like real wood.
- Engineered wood comes in more then one type. Some types have a high-density base with a very thin wood veneer and are less durable then other engineered wood. It the old saying you get what you pay for!
- You can get three or four resurfacing at the most. So it's not as long lasting as solid wood.
- Easy installation. This is a project do-it-yourselfers can do.
Solid Wood:
- They're solid wood and can be stained in any color. Or you can buy them pre-finished like engineered wood.
- They come in tongue and groove but must be nailed down.
- They are highly susceptible to moisture so you can not installed them in basement, bathrooms or kitchens.
- Solid wood floors comes in many different variety of wood, including exotic wood.
- It's more expensive then engineered wood.
- You can refinish a solid wood flooring more times then an engineered floor. Making it more durable. Something to consider if you have pets.
- Installation can be difficult. Because wood needs to breathe you must leave space for it to expand or it will buckle.
Most of the time budget will be a contributing factor. But you should consider other factors like moisture. Consider the rooms you will be installing them. If you're considering putting it in the basement, I would recommend engineered wood. Engineered wood vs solid wood flooring, which one is better? Only you can decide!!
Engineered Wood Installation
Solid Wood Installation
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