Engineered wood flooring usually looks identical to a solid plank floor once it’s installed, even to experts. Both solid and engineered wood floors use natural wood, but engineered floors are easier to install and cost far less than solid wood. If you’re struggling to decide between solid wood, laminate, and engineered wood flooring, this could help.
Versatility
You can use engineered flooring on any storey, even though it was originally developed for use on the ground floor where it would be laid on top of concrete slabs or in a basement. It’s generally more tolerant of high moisture levels and instability because of the bottom layers of the board, which means engineered flooring can be used in places where solid wood might rot or warp.
Cheaper than Solid Wood, More Long Lasting than Laminate
When it comes to wood or wood-effect flooring, engineered floors have the convenience of laminate without the cheap look. They last over a decade and look much like a real wood floor, but at a fraction of the price. Since real wood is used for the veneer, rather than a wood image like you’d get on a laminate floor, you still benefit from the physical properties of wood and the textures, so your floor will still feel warm underfoot and you can see the grain and grooves of the natural timber.
Easy Installation
Installation is almost as easy as laminate – a lot of engineered floors have a tongue and groove system that locks each strip in place, so you can place it straight over a concrete or cork floor or just over an older floor if you prefer.
Sustainability
Engineered floors can be more sustainable than solid wood, especially if you’re looking at exotic woods or timber that takes a long time to grow. This is because an engineered floor uses less of the top-layer timber, so fewer of those trees are felled to cover each floor.