A flattering and stylish look for the home has always been authentic hardwood flooring. It improves the value and look of the home, but it can be out of reach for most people on a budget. Laminate and vinyl flooring have an appeal all their own, but, while they might be purchased to resemble hardwood flooring, they leave something to be desired. When looking for an authentic look but with a more reasonable price, the obvious choice is engineered wood flooring, with advantages all of its own.
How it is made
There has recently been a significant increase in the popularity of engineered wood flooring, primarily because of its more economical price but it is also of equal quality with hardwood flooring, with none of its inherent problems with long use. Instead of lengths of expensive hardwoods being shaped and finished for installation as planks to fit the room, this type of more affordable wood flooring is created in a wholly different way.
Created through a method known as cross-grain construction, engineered flooring uses multiple layers of wood to create a stable whole. Each layer is placed, glued and pressed in a specific pattern that extends the life of the wood, as well as making it more resistant to warping and rotting from water damage or moisture.
Solid wood has no flexibility when it comes to being saturated with water. As it dries, it warps and bends from the inside out, destroying it. With engineered wood, each layer is placed in strips laid in alternating cross strips, there is more flexibility, and air and moisture pass through without destroying its integrity.
Easier to Install and Easier to Use
Because its construction makes it so much more moisture resistant and does not warp easily, this type of wood flooring can be used in a lot more climates than regular hardwood flooring can. Before the advent of this type of wood flooring, the only other type of wood that had the same versatility was bamboo flooring, which also retains its natural resistances, including mold and mildew.
It is also far easier to install in your home than regular hardwood flooring. When installing hardwood flooring, it has to be laid out plank by plank with each piece cut to be fitted to the next in the tongue and groove style. This can take hours to accomplish, in addition to which it takes time for the glue to dry and then the finish must be applied. The entire job can take a day or more to complete, whereas this more affordable type of wood flooring comes fully assembled to be laid out in either the antique looking tongue and groove fashion, or as floating panels over a sub floor. And, there is no need to add a finish to the mix, because it comes with it, reducing overall installation to just a few hours.
Tops in Durability Too
Like we have said before, engineered wood flooring is far better than hardwood flooring for a number of reasons. Price and installation make it more economical, and easier to set in place in just a few hours. But did you know that it is also more durable than hardwood flooring? Just like it is far better when it comes to resisting moisture, it is also more durable, and can be used in high traffic areas in your home. Unlike its counterpart, it can withstand the pounding of feet, the scratching of animal feet, and the scraping of furniture much better than its more expensive cousin. The secret lies in the number of layers used, and the thickness of those layers, simple as that.
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