August 31, 2004
How Well Do You Know Your Hardwood: The Difference between Solid & Engineered Floors

Article by: Sherry Lafreniere, Braid Flooring Design Consultant

It is hard to beat the warmth and charm of hardwood flooring. Wood flooring enhances the decor of any room, and provides timeless beauty that will increase the value of your home throughout the years. Many homeowners today have turned to hardwood floors to add elegance and beauty to various rooms in their home.

Hardwood flooring manufacturers have dramatically improved the construction methods and wood finishes they use to manufacture hardwood floors. Hardwood flooring is manufactured in both solid wood planks and engineered wood planks, and comes in a variety of different widths and styles. There are benefits to solid and engineered hardwood and choosing one over the other is dependent on the homeowner's unique situation and preference.

Solid Flooring
All hardwood flooring, regardless of type, width or length that is one piece from top to bottom is considered solid flooring. Solid flooring is a great choice in traditional areas of the home that are on or above ground level. All solid flooring can be customized to your design needs based on your choice of species, stains and finishes.

Solid Flooring Benefits:

1. Thick Wear Layer. Unlike engineered wood that is made of layers of peeled or sliced wood, solid wood flooring is made of one piece of wood from top to bottom. This trait gives it a thicker wear layer that allows for homeowners to refashion their solid hardwood numerous times by sanding and reapplying a new finish. Although engineered flooring can be sanded and refinished it only has a thin wear layer, minimizing the number of times it can be altered.

2. Grain Pattern. Solid flooring is sawn from the raw log leaving the grain tighter, denser and more durable. Whereas, the grain pattern found on peeled veneers is more open and less dense.

The hardest installations may occur in conditions where the temperature and humidity levels fluctuate greatly. In Saskatchewan, the lack of moisture in the air may be less then what is recommended by the hardwood manufacturer, causing your hardwood to contract. Knowing that your hardwood may shrink, you should acclimate the wood to the average conditions in the area. Days prior to an installation, you should measure and maintain the proper flooring moisture content, subfloor moisture content and room climate needed during the installation. A loss of moisture will cause the floor to contract leaving unsightly gaps between each plank. This is why you should leave the proper expansion area around the perimeter prior to the installation of solid wood flooring.

Engineered Flooring
Engineered flooring consists of layers of hardwood plywood that are stacked on top of each other in opposite directions and pressed together, finished with a layer of solid wood on top. This is called cross-ply construction and creates a floor that is dimensionally stable and far less effected by moisture than 3/4" solid wood floors. The solid wood layer makes up roughly 1/3 of the total thickness of the engineered piece.

The cross-ply construction makes engineered flooring more suitable for areas in the home where solid flooring is not appropriate (i.e. kitchens, bathrooms, and utility rooms). Engineered hardwood should not be confused with laminate flooring, a product that is not made of wood and is finished with a plastic polymer coating.

Engineered Flooring Benefits:

1. Installation Versatility. Engineered floors can be installed using different methods: the standard nail or staple method, gluing method or floating floor method. Unlike solid flooring, engineered floors are also appropriate for below grade installations.

2. Suitable for Humidity. With solid hardwood moisture fluctuation in the air will cause the flooring to contract and expand in width. With engineered flooring this is greatly reduced because the layers of hardwood plywood are stacked on top of each other in opposite directions and glued to the next, reducing both shrinkage and expansion. This makes engineered flooring suitable for below grade conditions (basements or other damp surroundings).

Regardless of whether you are considering solid or engineered flooring, hardwood is still one of the best flooring choices available for any home. Both solid and engineered flooring provide a healthier home environment, as they do not collect dust and other allergens that are present in soft flooring such as carpet.

To prolong the beauty of your hardwood never use water on your flooring. Instead, regular vacuuming and the occasional use of professional cleaning products will help keep your floors healthy for many years to come.

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