What’s the difference between solid and engineered hardwood flooring?

Are you trying to decide on suitable flooring? Hardwood floors are an excellent choice for a floor, and they last for decades. They bring tradition, elegance, and style to a home. In addition, it raises the value of a home property.

Solid or Engineered?

There are two types of hardwood flooring: solid and engineered. Solid hardwood flooring has the same thickness of wood throughout the plank, and you install it by the plank. Engineered hardwood is different. The wood that you desire is on top but as a slice of wood. Underneath it is plywood applied in a crosswise position. The top is the species with swirls and grains, and then underneath, the resin is applied to the plywood. Engineered wood can go in areas that solid hardwood wouldn’t fare so well, like basements. In a basement, the moisture level would warp a solid hardwood floor. But not so with an engineered floor. Engineered floors can handle a higher moisture level without warping. So engineered wood floors add the same value to a home that a solid hardwood floor does.

Installation

Solid hardwood can be finished on the job site. So it will be sanded, sealed, stained, and finished in your home. Whereas, with engineered wood, those things will be done at the factory. So there is less installation time with engineered hardwood. You can still mix and match it in your home.

Appearance

Wood floors are spectacular! You can find hardwood floors in a variety of species, colors, and styles. There are hundreds of species to choose from. The most popular, you will find, are oak, hickory, cherry, maple, and walnut. Each species has its look about it because of the grains in the wood. For example, walnut and oak tend to have straight grains, while cherry and maple have burls and curls in their grains.

If you have any questions, then visit our showroom in Chesapeake, VA. We serve Portsmouth, Norfolk, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Hampton, and Newport News. We are a hardwood flooring company that wants you to come to us for all your wood flooring needs. Family Flooring is here to meet all your hardwood flooring needs. Call us today!