Not all home improvement projects add real bang for your buck. Some might feel like you’re spending money on something invisible.
Yet, new flooring is just the opposite. Some estimates suggest that new wood flooring can provide a 70% to 80% return on investment. Realtors even suggest it adds up to 2.5% in value to your home if you plan to sell anytime soon.
The problem is that 100% wood flooring is expensive and requires more maintenance over the long haul. It’s the same reason many homeowners are turning to engineered hardwood flooring as their flooring choice.
The many benefits of engineered hardwood flooring have made it immensely popular with homeowners. Read on to learn more about the best-engineered hardwood flooring options and why you should consider one of them for your home.
How Is Engineered Hardwood Floor Made?
When you choose to install a traditional hardwood floor in your home, you’re putting down a piece of wood that is a solid piece of hardwood like oak or cherry flooring.
An engineered hardwood floor is unique because it still consists of a top layer of high-quality hardwood. It just isn’t solid hardwood.
Engineered hardwood floors consist of a series of layers that make up the flooring. The top layer is the hardwood covered with multiple layers of high-wear polyurethane protection.
Under this layer are multiple layers of wood veneers glued together like plywood. These get manufactured in strips that can get hooked together at installation.
Engineered wood flooring will vary in thickness depending on the manufacturer’s quality. The quality level and cost are often directly connected to the thickness of the wear layer of the solid wood layer at the top of the flooring.
Consider the Pros of Engineered Hardwood Floor
There are a whole host of benefits connected to engineered hardwood flooring. It’s why it’s become such a popular choice for many homeowners.
Engineered hardwood floor is available in a wide range of wood types, including:
- Oak
- Maple
- Hickory
- Birch
- Cherry
- Walnut
- African mahogany
- Tigerwood
This type of flooring also comes in a wide range of plank sizes, from wide to narrow. The top finish can also vary depending on the look you desire and the manufacturer. It gives consumers an endless supply of options for engineered hardwood flooring.
Any type of wood flooring runs the risk of water and moisture damage. Yet engineered hardwoods seem more durable because they come with multiple core layers.
These core layers make this flooring less likely to react to moisture or heat. It won’t expand, contract or shift when exposed to humidity, temperature shifts, or even moisture.
Sometimes traditional hardwood flooring isn’t a good choice for specific locations. These might include over a radiant heat source or on concrete. Engineered hardwood flooring offers more stability in these situations.
Another advantage is that this type of flooring has varied thicknesses making it easier to match up with an existing floor surface.
Engineered hardwood flooring is often less expensive than traditional solid wood flooring.
Cons of Engineered Hardwood Flooring
There are a few potential cons to consider with engineered hardwood flooring.
This type of flooring won’t allow for refinishing the way solid wood flooring wood. While there is the solid wood layer on top, often, it’s thin and would only accommodate refinishing one time.
While this type of flooring is more durable, it still is hardwood and comes with some maintenance needs. It would be best if you still were careful about potential scratches and dents in the flooring.
Finally, you want to be aware of quality. Some manufacturers, to cut costs, also cut quality. The layers are thinner and less durable, even though it also cuts the cost.
Let’s take a closer look at some interesting options for engineered hardwood flooring.
1. Adhesive Installation
One decision you’ll need to consider when deciding which engineered hardwood flooring is best for you is the method of installation.
One popular option is the glueless installation. This style of flooring doesn’t need glue but instead uses tongue and lock edges that interlock, holding the flooring in place.
You might also opt to install the flooring using a glue source. Some of the floors will need the glue applied to the surface of the floor, while others will come pre-glued.
2. Nail-Down Installation Method
Some people prefer to nail down the wood flooring. This option gets used when there’s already a wood subfloor in place.
This is a secured installation method, although not as popular as some of the other options.
You would want to use this method if you already have a secure and level wood subfloor in place. You also wouldn’t need any glued or pre-glued flooring since it’ll get secured with the nails.
3. Click-Lock Installation Method
Most of the most recent engineered hardwood flooring options use the click and lock method of installation. It’s a popular choice, whether you have your floors installed by a professional or install them yourself.
In this method of installation, each board has two sides. One with a tongue-like side and the other with a groove-like side. The tongue and groove click together, locking the floor pieces together.
This creates a floating floor over the surface you’re installing on. Don’t be misled by the fact the floor is floating, though, and it’s a very secure installation method.
It’s also fast and less expensive since no nails or glue are needed.
4. Textured Engineered Hardwood Flooring
One of the many benefits of engineered hardwood flooring is the wide variety of options. One option you’ll consider is how the surface of the hardwood appears.
Some styles feature textured engineered hardwood. These include:
- Distressed
- Wire brushed
- Hand-Scraped
The goal of these textured finishes is to give the engineered hardwood flooring a more realistic look.
Whether you choose distressed, wire brushed, or hand-scraped, each gives the look the solid wood might gain over time. The bonus is that you get the look without the cost.
5. Alternate Finishes for Engineered Hardwood
Another significant advantage to the engineered hardwood is the seemingly endless options for finishes. Sure, you might like the look of oak, maple, or cherry.
But what manufacturers can do is take the look of any of those woods and apply a plethora of alternate finishes to expand the options for the flooring.
This might include:
- Matte-finished flooring
- Satin-finished flooring
- Oil engineered flooring
- Smoke finished flooring
Consider it like this. You might love the look of oak. But then you take the oak and apply all those options to get even more options for consumers. You can literally create the exact look you seek with so many options.
6. Patterned Hardwood Engineered Flooring
Another popular option in flooring involves the pattern in which the flooring gets installed.
You might not be old enough to remember parquet floors having quite a moment of popularity during the 1960s. Well, guess what, they are back.
Several hardwood engineered flooring options can also be installed using a specific pattern.
One trendy choice right now is the herringbone pattern.
7. Direct Pressure Engineered Flooring
Another consideration for your flooring is the method of manufacturing used to make the flooring. One option is direct pressure engineered flooring.
Direct pressure flooring involves many layers of flooring, yet they are infused together in a single step. Ultimately, this means the bond between the layers isn’t quite as strong.
Don’t be misled by this method of manufacturing. The boards can be used without tearing or breaking and are commonly used in many residential settings.
This method tends to be less expensive which also makes it a popular choice.
8. High Pressure Engineered Flooring
More durable than direct pressure flooring is the high-pressure engineered flooring. Beyond being more durable, they also offer resistance to water, chemicals, and fire damage.
This type of flooring is made by saturating the layers of flooring in phenolic resin and under pressure. Thermosetting is used to bond the layers making them stronger than other options.
These floors are commonly used in commercial spaces because of their durability.
9. Plank Width
No matter the type of wood look you select, another consideration is the plank width for the flooring.
Narrow plank boards are generally under 4″ in width. Medium plank boards are generally under 5″ in width. The wide-width boards are greater than 5″ in width.
The width of the planks you select can change the overall aesthetic of the floor.
10. Thickness
Finally, the thickness of the flooring varies. You might want to consider the thickness of the flooring you select if you are matching it to an existing floor.
Generally, the thinner the floor, the more inexpensive. It basically means fewer layers were used to construct the flooring.
Consider Engineered Hardwood Flooring for Your Home
Many people have come to recognize the many advantages of engineered hardwood flooring. With a plethora of options, lower costs than solid wood, and high levels of durability; it’s the perfect flooring choice.
If you’re interested in learning more about engineered hardwood flooring for your home or office or want to discuss our inventory options, contact us today.
