There are few flooring options that are quite as lovely as hardwood floors. There are seemingly unlimited options as well when it comes to choosing the right hardwood flooring for your home. The first thing you need to decide is whether you want engineered hardwood floors or solid hardwood. Got Floored West Sound is here to talk about some of the key differences between the two so that you can make the best decision for your home.
Composition & Construction
One of the big differences between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood is the way they are constructed and composed. For instance, solid hardwood is made of a single piece of wood that is typically ¾ inch thick. The top of the plank is wear layer and is usually about 1/16 to ¼ inch thick. Engineered hardwood is made up of several layers of wood that are glued together. The wear layer is made of solid hardwood and is about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. The layers under that are usually made of plywood or high-density fiberboard.
Durability & Longevity
Solid hardwood tends to be extremely durable and resilient because it is made of a single piece of natural wood. It can be sanded and refinished multiple times as well which makes it have great longevity. Engineered hardwood is designed to be more stable and resistant to humidity and moisture levels than solid hardwood. At the end of the day, both of them are durable and should last for years and years to come.
Installation
Both solid hardwood and engineered hardwood floors can be installed the same way in your home. They are usually installed one of three ways:
– Nail Down: When you choose this method, you will be nailing the planks to the subfloor underneath it. It does require to have a wooden subfloor though.
– Glue Down: If you have a concrete floor you’re putting wood on, you can glue the floor down. The biggest challenge is that the floor needs to be perfectly level and completely clean.
– Floating: While you can allow this type of flooring to float on top of the subfloor, it isn’t recommended. You would interlock the pieces together and place them on top of an underlayment. This is not nearly as durable.
Maintenance & Repair
Both of these types of flooring will require regular cleaning and maintenance to keep them looking their best. Solid hardwood is nice because you can refinish it by sanding it down. Engineered, on the other hand, is incredibly durable because of the pre-finished protective coating that is put on it during that manufacturing process. This means that it doesn’t need to be refinished like solid hardwood tends to.
Hardwood Floor Installation & More in Poulsbo, WA (Just Minutes from Bremerton, Port Orchard, Silverdale, Bethel & Bainbridge Island, Washington)
If you are interested in hardwood flooring in your home, you can turn to Got Floored West Sound to handle it for you. We will help you choose the right one for your home and take care of installation. Call us today!
