Tweet on Twitter. Because engineered wood is marketed in much the same way as solid wood flooring, both have the same effect on a home’s resale value. Whether you choose engineered wood or solid hardwood, it’s an investment with a substantial dividend. Materials can run from $3 per square foot for unfinished oak planks at a big-box retail store, to more than $12 a square foot for more distinctive types of wood. Manufactured Flooring?. These floorboards have a thin veneer of wood on the surface (1/12 – ⅙ inches thick). Less wood is used, so fewer trees are cut. There’s a wood floor for every décor style, and because so many types of wood are available, there’s sure to be one to suit your tastes. If wood flooring becomes scratched, gouged or otherwise damaged, it's often possible to sand the topmost layer, to erase the visible damage. However, some engineered hardwood flooring only has a thin layer of hardwood on top, meaning there's a risk of doing more harm than good. Not all engineered woods are the same. Cons of Engineered Hardwood. Engineered wood contains a slice of natural wood on top while laminate uses a photographic layer that is coated with a protective layer. What Are the Pros and Cons of Wood Floors Vs. This means organizations can recreate the look of real wood flooring, without breaking the bank. Hardwood Flooring Pros. Brazilian Teak Hardwood Flooring Pros. Hardwood flooring can be quite noisy when walked upon, which makes it a poor choice for upper floors and apartments. Wood flooring is one of the best investments you can make for your home. Return to the main Milliken Flooring Website ». The plywood underlayment makes engineered wood flooring more moisture-resistant than conventional hardwood. Here's more on the pros, cons, and costs. If you’re worried about scratches, choose a product with a thicker wear layer. Follow pins on Pinterest. Monday - Thursday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm: Monday: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm: Tuesday: 10:00 … On the surface, the two types of flooring look much the same; the real differences lie underneath. Milliken® is a trademark of Milliken & Company. Floorboards tend to be wider with engineered hardwood flooring. Engineered hardwood flooring is made up of several layers of different wood. Well, you’ve come to the right place! Engineered hardwood floors are a relatively new option, compared to hardwood. While there are very few drawbacks to this flooring option, engineered hardwood is not perfect, nor is it completely foolproof for every home design project. Less sensitive to moisture 4. Improves resale value 5. You can refinish engineered hardwood 6. Exotic woods, such as tigerwood and African mahogany, are also available. If you love the look of hardwood flooring but not the cost, then wood-look tile is a trendy alternative. If hardwood flooring sounds like the right choice for your business, there are a few pros and cons to consider. The Drawbacks of Engineered Wood Flooring. Wood flooring is an attractive option, but it’s a costly one as well. You can find engineered wood flooring in numerous species, including walnut, cherry, birch, and oak. Real wood flooring is notoriously difficult to install, clean and maintain, all of which adds to its high cost of ownership. Some types of hard flooring are very susceptible to moisture damage. 3) Easier to Install than Solid Wood Flooring. When comparing Pergo vs hardwood flooring, it is important to begin with origin. This creates an aesthetic that's very similar to real wood flooring, without the high price point. Below, we’re going to dive into all the pros and cons of engineered bamboo flooring, from sustainability to durability, installation, cost, and beyond.. Engineered hardwood flooring is a fantastic option for companies looking to recreate the aesthetics of solid wood flooring., but there are other hard flooring options. While there’s plenty of prep work with paint, it’s a whole different ballgame when you have to rip up carpet or level a floor for hardwood. Here, we’ll provide you with the guidance needed to make an informed decision. Pros of Hardwood Flooring. Some flooring products are durable, while others are of low quality. It is often assumed that choosing between these two types of floors is a matter of personal preference, and in many case this may be true, but let’s compare solid and engineered hardwood flooring in order to better understand their pros and cons. This stability makes it more resistant to humidity and temperature shifts, and it’s less likely to warp. Engineered hardwood flooring refers to the product made out from a core of hardwood or plywood of about three to twelve layers which are pressed together by means of cross layering and gluing. Hardwood floors are a timeless option for your interior design, and one of the choices you'll need to make regarding your flooring is the edge style of the boards. Going for Brazilian Teak flooring comes with a lot of pros, including its strength, durability and longevity. Real wood flooring is notoriously difficult to install, clean and maintain, all of which adds to its high cost of ownership. 0. We'll send you our best flooring & interior design content, once a week. Veneer is sliced rather than cut with a saw. That’s why engineered wood is so popular in moisture-prone areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. A solid wood floor can be repeatedly refinished, but engineered wood’s thinner wear layer makes this less of an option. Look into the pros and cons of tile vs. laminate, for instance. Copyright © 2005 - 2015 Milliken & Company. Grab the RSS Feed It must be installed over a proper subfloor, and installation itself is too complex for most homeowners to handle. When you’re making the decision between solid hardwood and engineered wood, you’re sure to end up with great-looking flooring no matter which you choose. The primary advantage of engineered hardwood flooring is how it looks. Engineered wood is relatively low-maintenance. 10 Pros and Cons of Hardwood Flooring You Should Know. Both laminate flooring and engineered hardwood floors can be floated with a DIY, click and lock installation. They are made of 100 percent hardwood milled from real lumber. Trend-proof 8. Laminate flooring has a wood powder core that doesn’t handle moisture very well. It is available in widths from narrow to wide, and you can get it in various specialty looks as well. That’s where the term “variable length” comes into play, and it’s something you are going to hear often when you are dealing with engineered boards. Then there’s engineered hardwood flooring. Posted on Aug 31, 2017, by Alan Fennell. Today we're weighing up the pros and cons of engineered hardwood floors, to help you assess whether it's a smart flooring choice for your organization. That said, the biggest concern to avoid is makeshift or secondary engineered … Hardwood laminate doesn't have the same style or durability as engineered wood based on how it is constructed and how it achieves its wood look. Working Hours. If you’re worried about scratches, choose a product with a thicker wear layer. Installation methods make a substantial difference, and you should find out how your contractor’s installation strategies may affect the floor’s sound. Copyright © 2005 - 2015 Milliken & Company. Here are some of the reasons to get this kind of wood for your home: Strength. From the topmost to the innermost layers, it’s made from one of a few varieties of wood. The refinishing process is costly and it creates fumes and dust. Typically, this type of hardwood flooring is set up with a series of tongues and grooves so that they can be attached to one another. Engineered Hardwood Flooring . These properties make engineered wood a great choice in areas where hardwood flooring shouldn’t be used, such as over a radiant heating system or a concrete floor. Engineered Wood Flooring, A Guide to Choosing the Best Heating System for Your Home, 5 Ways to Save On Your Winter Heating Costs, 5 Tips to Create An Instagram-Worthy Minimalist Dining Room, 5 Paint Colours That Can Bring Out Your Inner Minimalist, Beyond Silver ~ A Unique Cutlery Set by Clara del Portillo, ‘Seven Sins’ Poster Series by Alexey Malina, Tricubo ~ Oak Coffee Table by Autori Vari, The Modern Age Highball Pocket Watch by Nixon. The bottom layer gives floorboards superior strength, helping them resist expansion and contraction. Micro-beveled edges, also known as eased edges, feature tiny grooves along the edge of the plank, while flat- or square-edged boards are smooth and even. Engineered floors commonly have much wider and longer planks than solid hardwood floors, which is one of the aesthetic factors which might be more pleasing to some people, depending on the subjective individual’s preferences. Finally, engineered wood is more sustainable than solid wood because of its thin surface veneer. Milliken® is a trademark of Milliken & Company. Engineered flooring will not swell or warp, making it very low maintenance. The top, real wood, layer of engineered hardwood flooring is available in different thicknesses, which affects not only the price, but also the quality and durability of the flooring. Engineered Hardwood… Hardwood flooring and paint are two things that can change the entire look of a room. It’s made of layers of wood, bonded together with adhesives under intense heat and pressure. Let price, availability, environment and lifestyle issues help guide your choice. In contrast, engineered hardwood doesn't expand or contract as much when it comes into contact with moisture, meaning it's less likely to warp, crack or buckle. Solid Hardwood vs. The same problem is true with engineered hardwood flooring. Pros and Cons of Hardwood Flooring. But before anything else, we have to come out and say it: engineered bamboo flooring is pretty freaking cool. As with other types of flooring, hardwood and engineered wood have their own pros and cons. While many of today’s homeowners prefer conventional hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood is slowly gaining popularity. If you’re looking for a wider range of options, solid hardwood is the way to go. Some pre-finished engineered hardwood flooring has slightly beveled edges, which creates slight grooves between boards, while solid hardwood flooring generally has very tight seams between boards. Engineered wood flooring handles moisture better than hardwood, but it’s still not the best choice for a pool deck or a washroom. July 8, 2019. One major difference is … When properly maintained, a hardwood floor can last upwards of 100 years. Hardwood flooring has numerous advantages compared to any other type of residential floors.. In terms of material costs, hardwood flooring can range between $4.00 to $8.00 per sq.ft., on average. A solid wood floor can be repeatedly refinished, but engineered wood’s thinner wear layer makes this less of an option. Engineered Wood Flooring In contrast, engineered hardwood flooring is much easier to install - bearing more similarity to laminate flooring in the processes required. The finest solid hardwood costs $10 or more, a few dollars more costly than the best engineered flooring. Solid hardwood is much more durable than engineered wood. When you lay a run of flooring, you never want the joints or ends to line up, unlike tile, which gives you a nice uniform pattern. Engineered hardwood floors are an excellent way of creating an excellent atmosphere for your indoor area however without having to pay a fortune as if […] Seven Major Pros and Cons of Engineered Wood Flooring 2687 Steeles Ave W., North York, ON M3J 2Z8, Canada . The most popular options are: Unlike an engineered wood floor, a solid wood floor may be sanded several times over its lifespan. Choosing engineered flooring is considered more environmentally-friendly than traditional hardwood for a few reasons. You have three main installation options: One of the biggest drawbacks of wood flooring is that the surface of the wood is easily damaged: moving furniture, dropping items, or simply walking in high heels can lead to the surface becoming scratched, scuffed or dented - not the look you envisioned for your organization. Share on Facebook . In contrast, engineered hardwood doesn't expand or contract as much when it comes into contact with moisture, meaning it's less likely to warp, crack or buckle. Engineered vs solid hardwood flooring can start many a lively debate among friends, home builders or remodelers and homeowners. Home buyers are willing to pay a premium for hardwood flooring, and these homes often sell faster as well. Watch Now: The Pros and Cons of Hardwood Floor. Translation: if you need some super water-resistant wood flooring, you might want to think outside of the engineered hardwood box. The price of solid hardwood flooring is slightly higher than engineered flooring, though both start at $2 to $3 per square foot. Radiant-heating compatible Cumaru is an extremely strong wood that can handle a lot of foot traffic and is difficult to scratch or dent. Easy finishing 7. Solid wood flooring (such as that made of Douglas fir) can be very soft, or it can be very hard if it’s made from a wood like Brazilian Walnut. Hollands.ie a few advantages and disadvantages of Engineered Wood Flooring A Few Advantages And Disadvantages Of Engineered Wood Flooring. Laminate is also much thinner than engineered wood, averaging around 12mm, whereas engineered wood tends to be thicker like hardwoods. Laminate flooring is still a popular choice, and luxury vinyl tile flooring is currently the fastest growing commercial flooring type in the world - capable of recreating the aesthetics of wood flooring to a near-imperceptible level of detail, and offering unbeatable durability and ease of maintenance alongside. While engineered hardwood flooring is much cheaper than solid wood flooring, it's still more expensive to buy, install and maintain than other types of hard flooring. Other types of hard flooring are better protected against damage and offer a similar aesthetic - such as luxury vinyl tile which has a clear wear layer to protect against wear and tear. Can be sanded and refinished; Luxurious look and feel; Reclaimed options for eco-friendliness; High value for home buyers ; Cons. Although many options are thick and heavy enough to feel and look like solid hardwood, some engineered wood products give a hollow sound when walked upon. HARDWOOD FLOORING; ENGINEERED FLOORING; LAMINATE FLOORING; VINYL FLOORING; x. The wood flooring aesthetic is particularly favored by some design-conscious organizations, and engineered hardwood flooring makes it more accessible than solid hardwood flooring. Comparable to solid hardwood in terms of cost, engineered wood floors are still considerably more expensive than other flooring options like carpet, laminate, and tile. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this sturdy type of flooring. Wood floors are a costly option. In addition, the following comparison chart would allow you as well to better understand engineered hardwood flooring pros and cons as well as other wood flooring types. Laminate floor can warp, buckle or distort if exposed to too much moisture – such as from wet cleaning or from the subfloor. So you’re looking into engineered bamboo flooring pros and cons. Engineered Hardwood vs. Hardwood Laminate It may be hard to tell the difference at first glance, but engineered hardwood is often a better choice over hardwood laminate. Because it’s so resistant to moisture, it won’t warp or buckle like solid wood will. In contrast, engineered hardwood flooring is much easier to install - bearing more … Environmental Advantages of Engineered Hardwood. Ask an expert about using wood flooring in moisture-prone areas. Engineered wood flooring is a viable alternative to hardwood. Subscribe to our newsletter Ask an expert about using wood flooring in moisture-prone areas. All Rights Reserved. Twitter: @mmminimal A typical installation will cost between $3.00 and $8.00 per sq.ft. Engineered hardwood flooring in the kitchen is beautiful, and can cost way less than traditional hardwood. Similarly, solid wood flooring expands and contracts under fluctuating moisture conditions, which can cause it to crack. This is the only option of installation for a laminate floor, however, an engineered hardwood floor can also be installed with a glue-down or nail/staple option. Usually there is a softer, less expensive form of wood in the middle, and then there are alternating layers of different wood. As the top layer is real hardwood, you can achieve an aesthetic that's almost identical to real wood flooring. Which is right for your home? Engineered hardwood flooring is almost always sold pre-finished, and there is a narrower range of available colors and species than with solid hardwood. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(528611, '048e8241-40ed-45b9-aaaf-e0be57a20c87', {}); Stay inspired and in the know. Floating Vs. Glue-Down Wood Flooring [Pros & Cons] Floating wood floors are thinner tongue and groove flooring sections that interlock together without any actual fasteners. For a quicker response, please send all inquiries via info@canfloor.com or text to 416-735-0075. Real hardwood is subject to moisture damage, Wipe up any spills quickly and polish with good quality hardwood floor cleaners that do not use waxes. One easy mistake beginners make when purchasing engineered hardwood flooring is dealing with dimensions. A scratched or scuffed floor must be refinished; the softer the wood, the more likely it is to be damaged. By comparison, engineered wood can be lightly sanded just once or twice before it loses its wear layer. There’s no sawdust created during the selection process, which means there’s almost no waste. Multiple installation methods 3. The Pros and Cons of Hardwood vs. All Rights Reserved. We all know the luxury of hardwood floors. Laminates tend to be more scratch and impact resistant, remember that engineered wood durability will depend on the hardness of the species of the wood wear layer (so maple is more dent resistant than pine) and the number of protective finishes. 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Prefer conventional hardwood flooring, you ’ re looking into engineered bamboo flooring pros and Cons of hardwood.! Bonded together with adhesives under intense heat and pressure, it won ’ t warp buckle! The plywood underlayment makes engineered wood flooring is composed entirely of wood on top while laminate a. A poor choice for upper floors and apartments options are: Unlike an engineered wood flooring is almost always pre-finished! S thinner wear layer flooring but not the cost, then wood-look tile is a blend of designs! Costs, hardwood flooring sounds like the right choice for your home, environment and lifestyle issues guide. A premium for hardwood flooring is a narrower range of options, solid wood flooring to think outside of best... Layer is real hardwood, you might want to think outside of the engineered flooring! Thin surface veneer poor choice for upper floors and apartments more moisture-resistant conventional... 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