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Engineered vs Solid Hardwood Flooring
Engineered vs solid hardwood flooring can start many a lively debate among friends, home builders or remodelers and homeowners. There are pros and cons to both, but for the most part, nobody can tell the difference in the look once the floor is installed. Let price, availability, and environmental issues help guide your choice.
In a world that is full of comparisons of different products and features, you will find that it can pay to compare items to get the best deal for your money. By comparing apples to apples and even apples to oranges, you can find the product that fits your needs and your budget. The good news is that this process doesn't even have to take you out of your home, if you wish, because most research can be done in the privacy of your home on your computer. This includes the engineered vs solid hardwood flooring comparison that you will want to do if you are considering either one of these flooring options for your home or room.
When considering engineered vs solid hardwood flooring, you first want to find the features of each so that you have some basis to compare these two types of coloring. Here are the basics of each of these two types of wood flooring.
Engineered hardwood flooring
Engineered hardwood flooring is less expensive than solid hardwood. It made of a wood layers, but the layers below the surface are often composed of less expensive, stronger wood layers. The top layer is the decorative wood you have chosen for your home or office. Engineered hardwood flooring is also more environmentally friendly than solid hardwood floors because the sub-surface layers are made from "junk" or "scrap" wood, not the ornamental wood. This approach saves more forests because each tree of the desired ornamental wood can go further than it does with solid wood flooring.
Unlike solid hardwood flooring, engineered flooring can be installed in any room that you choose, even a basement, because it can withstand moisture due to the layers of flooring that withstand buckling and rippling. Engineered flooring can also be installed over radiant floor heating, which can keep your feet warm during those cold winter months. It's also easy to install and looks just as beautiful as hardwood flooring at a much better price that will fit almost anyone's budget.
You'll be able to get three to four resurfacings from most engineered hardwood floors. So it's not as long lasting as solid wood flooring, but it's a durable floor during its lifetime.
Solid hardwood flooring
Solid hardwood flooring comes in many different wood varieties, including exotic woods. It's slightly more expensive than an engineered wood flooring, but if you are a diehard wood enthusiast, then you may want to stick with a solid hardwood flooring.
Solid hardwood can't be installed (or isn't recommended) in high moisture rooms, like the kitchen, bath and basement. This is because the higher moisture content in the air -- or even on the floor -- can cause the wood to ripple or buckle, which will destroy the flooring.
Because you can refinish a solid wood floor more times than you can an engineered wood floor, this flooring type lasts longer, helping balance some of the environmental problems associated with some wood floors.
If you have children or pets, then you may want to consider the durability factor of solid hardwood flooring in your decision. Most solid hardwood flooring will need to be professionally installed, so if you are a do-it-yourselfer, then this is something that you will want to keep in mind.
Deciding between engineered vs solid hardwood flooring is a decision that should be made carefully. In some cases, your budget will be the determining factor, but if at all possible, it is better to let other considerations make your decision for you. Consider the rooms that you will be installing the flooring in, the people who will be walking on and enjoying the floors, and what your dream flooring is to help you determine the winner between engineered vs. solid hardwood flooring.
Comments
Hi Kim,
Yes, it can work, but you'll need to take into consideration the height of the new floor, especially in front of appliances like a dishwasher, and under doors. There could very well be weight issues to think about too, so you'll have to make sure that your floor joists are strong enough to support another heavy layer of flooring. If you have infloor heat, then I think that it would not be a good option.
The Flooring Lady at June 27, 2008 03:18 PM
Hello,
We are having a new home built and have upgraded our hardwood flooring so we are able to pick either a 3" solid hardwood floor or an engineered 5" plank floor. I LOVE the 5 in" hand beveled engineered flooring although my biggest concern is that the finish warranty is only good for 15 years vs 25 for the solid HW. I have kids and dogs and having lived in older homes with original HW flooring, know that refinishing is a nice option every 10 years or so. It's my understanding that we can't refinish the engineered floors? Any thoughts on this? I can't really fathom spending this kind of money for a floor that I will have to replace theoretically in 15 years. In addition, we are having the floors installed in a kitchen and powder room where the possiblity of moisture is there. Thanks in advance. So glad I found your site!
Krista at July 29, 2008 07:11 PM
Hi Krista,
Yes, you can refinish engineered HW floors, BUT, remember, the HW layer is much, much thinner than a traditional HW floor, which means you're not going to be able to sand into it nearly as much and have to be very careful in doing so.
The Flooring Lady at July 29, 2008 09:11 PM
Hi, We are putting new flooring in our dining room and family room. We are trying to decide between Bruce engineered hardwood and bamboo. We have a 2 teenagers and a lab. Any suggestions as to which is best?
Thanks!
Stacy at August 10, 2008 11:20 AM
Hi Stacy,
Either one would be good choice, they're both durable. Your dog is going to be more of a problem for the floor than your teenagers will - or at least should be! ;~) Just be sure to keep your dog's toenails trimmed so that the floor doesn't get scratched up.
Check with the manufacturer to see if there are any sealers that they recommend for putting over the new flooring (yes, it can be done - you just need to make sure it won't void your warranty!). I'm not saying that you have to do this, just that some people find it helpful.
The Flooring Lady at August 10, 2008 12:33 PM
I am trying to decide between a solid floor versus an engineered wood. The guy that wants to sell me the solid floor tells me that the engineered layers may come apart, delamination. How true a possibility is that?
Lorrie at September 3, 2008 01:02 PM
Hi Lorrie, It sounds to me like the salesman is trying to get you to spend more money. It's your choice, right?
The Flooring Lady at September 3, 2008 07:46 PM
Message to Lorrie: we all have prejudices about what the best flooring is. There are good flooring choices and products, and poor ones. You can buy an excellent engineered wood flooring just as you can a solid wood flooring. The important issues are what climate you live in, what kind of heating you have, and even which wood choice you want. Environmentally, as The Flooring Lady often chimes in, engineered wood floors are better because they make use of wood scraps.
I chose an engineered wood flooring in my house because I have in floor heat and engineered wood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood, so it's going to hold up to my situation better than solid wood.
Good luck in making your decision.
David at September 4, 2008 09:43 AM
I am also trying to decide between an engineered wood floor and solid wood floor. I have particle board for my subfloor and was considering a floating floor, but have concerns over the ability to refinish a floating floor. Does anyone have experience with this? Also, one installer suggested stapling an engineered floor to the particle board (rather than rip and replace with plywood) as a way to save money. Thoughts on that?
Shauna at September 9, 2008 10:43 PM
Hi Shauna,
If you staple the floating floor then it can't expand and contract with the differing temperatures/humidity. I guess that it wouldn't be a floating floor anymore...........
Anyhoo, plywood is better than particle board, even better is a subfloor on top of the particle board.
The call is yours, I don't know what you're budget is like for this project and you need to do what you think you can do.
A floating floor can be refinished, you just have to make sure not to go past the depth of the hardwood layer. ;~)
The Flooring Lady at September 10, 2008 11:17 AM
