Tuesday 16 February 2021

Engineered or Solid Wood Flooring – How Do I Choose?

 


Though we've written a few distinct posts to assist people pick between solid and engineered hardwood floors, this question is still among the very common we get requested. Engineered hardwood floors has long been on the move for quite a while today however, it remains to this very day a highly misunderstood wood floors product. Individuals who have bought engineered timber floors are entirely converted, but people that are delving into the idea for the very first time are still loath to plump with this particular solution, probably due to a lack comprehension about what it is actually.

Thus, if you are facing this problem, we genuinely hope this guide can help you. Within this very long post, we will examine all the various situations where engineered timber flooring is greatest and where you may safely choose good hardwood floors. Hopefully this can allow you to pick, but naturally, we are always here for you in the event that you want more help.

Before we begin about the scenarios where one hardwood floors may out-perform another, let us only re-confirm very briefly what is intended by engineered hardwood floors and solid hardwood floors:

Solid hardwood floors is exactly what its name implies, wood flooring that's created of solid wood. Regardless of what species or caliber of timber you can consider, it's very likely you'll have the ability to down it into a solid wood floor alternative.

Engineered wood flooring on the other hand consists of solidly constructed center boards which are effectively layers and layers of ply that are bonded together. Thereafter those boards are topped off with a lamella or top coating of solid wood, which is exactly what makes engineered wood floors look just like solid wood.

Just so that there's no confusion, do not ever be tempted into the frequent misconception that engineered timber flooring is the same as laminate floors; it is not!

Anyhow, here are a Few of the situations where you May Be in a problem between solid and engineered wood flooring to your job:

You're uncertain about your sub floor

Whenever you are planning a new hardwood flooring, it's really important to measure the moisture levels on your sub floor. Ideally moisture levels shouldn't exceed 2-3% and to be able to be certain about the levels, it is important to bring a significant number of readings throughout your whole floor. If your sub flooring is borderline when it comes to humidity levels, there's no getting away from the fact that you would be safer to opt for engineered wood flooring than solid hardwood. Making this decision, along with a suitable membrane or underlay can help guarantee you about the durability of your floor.

You're flooring a kitchen or bathroom

When you are thinking of installing a hardwood flooring in your house, whether engineered or strong will work best additionally depends on which room you are seeking to re-floor. Because of the substantial fluctuations in humidity levels and temperatures from the likes of kitchens and toilets, there's no doubt that engineered wood floors comes up trumps every time. As a result of the manner that engineered planks are assembled , while they will expand and contract slightly when exposed to rises and drops in temperature and moisture levels, in comparison with solid hardwood the risk of consequent damage is minimal. When solid wood is exposed to significant ecological changes it expands and contracts considerably, which, over a long period can lead to damage to your floor. This will not happen with a fantastic quality, engineered wood flooring.

You have got high or heavy footfall

High footfall means that you expect your floor to experience a lot of visitors on a daily basis. Heavy footfall refers to environment in which there's likely to be a higher effect on the ground thanks to the folks crossing it.

Wherever there's heavy or high footfall, it's reassuring to be in a position to re-sand and re-finish your floor relatively frequently. Though an engineered wood floor with a comparatively thick lamella or top layer can be sanded two or even three times during its life, a good hardwood flooring will take around five or six sandings before risking significant damage. Consequently, if you're floors a room where there is likely to be high or heavy footfall, your sub floor is fine and warm and there are no significant temperature or moisture fluctuations in addition to no under floor heatingsystem, then good hardwood flooring is probably a more practical solution.

You are on a tight budget

Wood floors is a great solution, no matter whether you've got the budget of a King or a Pauper. With a lot of competition in the timber floor market, irrespective of if you shop online or on the High Street, you will find everything from badly cheap to high-ticket rates. With very little difference between solid and engineered wood flooring costs, your budget shouldn't be a massive driving variable on your decision-making procedure because no matter of the amount you must spend, you need to be able to find a solution that ignites all your boxes in either kind.