The name of solid wood flooring implies that this flooring is made out of solid wood throughout its thickness. Whereas, the engineered flooring looks very similar on the surface but made out of a relatively thin layer of hardwood bonded over a substrate of high-quality plywood. By understanding the major and minor differences between these flooring, consumers can understand what they are going to buy.
Solid wood flooring: Solid wood flooring usually comes in the form of long planks. It is often made out of hardwood species and is available in numerous styles and dimensions. These hardwood planks are milled with tongues and grooves on opposite edges to interlock the boards when installed. Earlier, these floorings were meant to serve structural requirements and were positioned perpendicular to a structure’s wooden support beams.
Engineered flooring: When it comes to the engineered wood flooring, it looks very much like solid hardwood, but it is a relatively thin layer of hardwood bonded over a high-quality plywood layer that offers excellent flooring stability. A good-quality engineered floor typically lasts 25 to 30 years. It is a budget-friendly and more accessible option for DIYers to install.
Solid Hardwood Flooring vs. Engineered Flooring:
A wide variety of engineered floor qualities makes the general comparison very difficult between these two floorings. Engineered floors are far better in appearance than the solid wood flooring, and generally, the engineered wood comes with more of a pre-finish than others. When compared with the solid hardwood flooring, solid flooring has less plank width, and it is designed to add more gap. It also has a tendency of crowning and cupping along its edges and gives a dish like an appearance. These restrictions make it much less scope of use.
In contrast, solid floors offer a thicker surface; thus, it can be installed with the use of nails. Solid flooring is economical to install than engineered flooring. Besides, engineered floors can withstand a considerably less number of sanding as contrasting to solid flooring.
And if we talk about the water and heat resistance of both floorings, then you will be glad to know that both have excellent resistance to heat. But neither materials are suggested to install for wet locations, and these both are not able to withstand the humidity conditions.
Although both types of solid wood flooring and engineered flooring can add value, beauty, and appeal to your home, there are still many differences between both of these types as these are not the same product. So if you are going to install one, you should be well-aware of both of these floorings and their limitations.