Layered flooring sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? You are envisioning plywood with a veneer of fine hardwood on top and fist pumping because you finally got a solution for your moisture-prone basement. You are right to celebrate.
Important!
There are two types of wood – engineered wood and solid wood. They are both great choices for flooring and will add great value and aesthetics to your home. You can get them in a variety of stains and styles to suit your preferences.
What is engineered hardwood flooring?
Remember the reference to layers? Engineered hardwood flooring is made up of layers; top, middle and bottom. The top is 100% wood and comes in various types. The layer in between is a core. It is built from five layers of plywood. These layers cross out in different directions. Like the top layer, the bottom one is wood too.
Being layered, engineered floors are very stable and therefore suitable for floors that easily get moisture. Basements come to mind.
Design
Engineered hardwood comes in a variety of styles; sometimes, you can even get it for less than $500 if your square footage is not very large in size. You will get traditional ones like markings made by hand using tools and lots of tones of colours to choose from. You can only get extra wide planks with engineered wood.
Installation
Whereas solid hardwood will do nicely on the first and second floors, engineered hardwood floors are best suited for;
- The basement
- Over concrete floors
- Over radiant heating systems.
Installation methods
You have several installation methods tod to choose from:
- Staple
- Glue
- Float
Advantages of engineering hardwood flooring
- It is the best flooring for moisture-prone areas.
- The layers make it stable against atmospheric eccentricities.
- Scratch protection.
- They can be refinished many times.
- They can also be resanded multiple times.
- It is resistant to both moisture and heat.
- Its multi-ply design makes it more dimensionally stable.
- It does not cup or warp when mother nature has mood swings. It is perfect for areas that have lots of rain.
Wood available for engineered flooring
There are many species of wood to choose from for your engineeredwood flooring. You can make a choice between hardwoods and softwoods. Sample the following:
Hard
- Oak
- Hickory
- Maple
Soft
- Walnut
- Birch
- Cherry
Exotic
- Tigerwood
- African mahogany
- Acacia
Underfoot
Compared to solid hardwood floors, engineered ones can sound hollow when you walk on them. You can address this issue by optingforpremium engineered flooring. It is thick and those that have experienced it say that it sounds like realhardwood.
Cost
In comparison to solid hardwood flooring, engineered flooring is kinder to the wallet. Premium hardwood is pricier than regular engineered flooring owing to its thicker hardwood top layer. The better performing engineered brands may cost as much as solid hardwood.
Your dream house in the tropics may just be possible with engineered hardwood flooring seeing as it can withstand climatic upheavals, but you also have a choice for your long-suffering basement with this type of flooring.
