Solid Hardwood Floors vs. Engineered Wood: How Do You Pick?
For centuries solid wood floors were extensively been used. It is known for the warmth and charm that traditionally have a ¾ inch thick plank each in a form of a 2 1/4" narrow strip. It is required to be finished on the site. The modern solid hardwood floors come in a variety of thicknesses, widths and finishes. You will also get these in different wood species. However, the most common hardwood species that are used for solid wood flooring are:
- Red oak
- White oak
- Ash and
- Maple wood.
Apart from the above, you can also get other variants of such solid hardwood flooring such as Brazilian cherry, Australian cypress, tiger wood and others all of which are equally exotic.
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| Wood Flooring |
The Different Qualities
Any unfinished wood flooring is solid wood flooring that comes in several different qualities such as clear, select and better.
- The clear quality has no blemishes or knots visible and is extremely expensive. The select and better quality may have some small knots along with little bit of dark graining.
- Solid wood planks are usually cut out from the tree itself as a large solid block. This large block is later sawn down to the desired solid flooring planks that have tongue and grooves edges.
- In the late 19th and early 20th century, the ideas of wood carpeting and solid wood flooring became rampant, with the addition of cork and parquetry designs that were long-lasting and that added more elegance to the existing patterns and designs of floors.
Solid Versus Engineered Flooring
All solid wood flooring will react to moisture and that is why in the winter months there are unsightly gaps between the planks due to the lack of humidity and heating. This results in the contraction causing the gaps. In summer when the level of humidity is higher it causes the wood planks to expand causing the gaps to disappear.
Engineered wood planks, on the other hand, are not affected by humidity as much as the solid wood floors.
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| Flooring |
The Myths and Facts
There are several myths and facts regarding solid wood flooring and engineered floors.
- Refinishing – Many believe that solid wood plank can be refinished easily by sanding as it is thick. This is not true as the number of times it can be refinished depends on the amount of wood present above the tongue.
- Stability – Comparing with solid wood, the engineered hardwood is supposed to be more stable. It does not contract or expand thereby it does not warp or cup.
- Sizes – The engineered hardwood is available in much bigger size as compared with solid wood planks. This is because large solid wood is likely to twist and bend over time and therefore manufactured in small pieces.
- Installation – Installing solid wood flooring is usually done by nailing and no glue is used while engineered hardwood will need a subfloor for gluing down. However, you should be careful that the glue stains must not be there.
There are a few facts that you should also know to determine whether solid wood flooring is better for your home. Contrary to the common misconceptions the engineered hardwood is very durable and long-lasting. These woods can also be refinished many times though it depends on the thickness of the veneer. It is easy to install due to the prefinished features of the interlocking design. Solid wood flooring is especially good for those homes where there are children suffering from allergy or aged individuals. Solid wood floors do not collect dust like carpets and they can also be maintained well all throughout the year.
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