Hardwood is a common flooring material – there is no denying that. You see it in almost any home you have stepped into, with varying designs and colours. It’s a simple material that can look good and is easy maintenance for the most part. Yet, some would be surprised to know that there is another form of hardwood that measures up differently from your conventional hardwood flooring. This type of hardwood is known as engineered hardwood. Yet, what makes this different than your standard hardwood flooring? Read on to find out what engineered hardwood flooring is and how it can benefit you!
What is Engineered Hardwood?
At first glance, engineered hardwood might not seem any different than your typical hardwood flooring. However, what makes engineered hardwood different from regular hardwood lies in its composition. Normal hardwood or ‘laminate flooring’ is generally a solid piece of wood with no layers. Meanwhile, engineered hardwood is constructed from layers of both hardwood and plywood.
Compared to laminate flooring, engineered hardwood contains a top layer of solid wood instead of a photographic layer coated with a wear layer – which gives the appearance of a wooden surface. You can expect engineered hardwood to be thicker than laminate flooring as well.
What Makes it Great?
Now that you understand what makes it different, you’re probably asking yourself, “Well, what makes this possibly better than regular hardwood?” You would be surprised to know there are plenty and you can benefit from its various advantages!
- Inexpensive – Some rumours floating around have assumed engineered hardwood is considered ‘cheap material’ since some say it can look fake. However, that’s further from the truth. You won’t be compromising quality since engineered hardwood mimics the look and feel of traditional hardwood exactly. In which case, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference! Instead of breaking the bank through typical hardwood flooring, consider opting for engineered hardwood since it’s comparatively less expensive. Get everything you want out of hardwood with half the price by going for engineered hardwood!
- Aesthetically Pleasing – As mentioned above, people have the misconception that engineered hardwood can’t look luxurious – clearly, that’s not the case. Ironically enough, its popularity comes from how you can play so much with its various selections that can easily match your tastes. All engineered hardwood is available in different wood species, styles, colours, finishes and plank widths. In which case, the style possibilities are rather endless! If you were thinking of a certain type of wood for hardwood, there is most certainly an engineered hardwood counterpart that will look just like it and look just as good.
- Durable – If you want flooring that can last a lifetime, choosing engineered hardwood would be the perfect option! Typically, you can expect engineered hardwood to last between 20 to 3o years. In addition, the way engineered hardwood is constructed, its lifespan is longer compared to normal hardwood flooring. Engineered hardwood has multiple layers of wood, where each layer is positioned in a different direction. Its structure prevents warping or bowing, which hardwood is notably susceptible to – especially in moist areas.
- Compatible – The worst is choosing a material that doesn’t work with your home. Even worse is having to pay more to make it work. Avoid the hassle and costs by considering what engineered hardwood can work with the flooring in your home. You can count on engineered hardwood because its construction allows for installation in most home-grade levels—for example, places in your home that might be prone to moisture, like your bathroom or basement. With regular hardwood, you might have to deal with water damage. However, you won’t have to worry about issues like that with engineered hardwood since it’s temperature resistant to moisture and changes in temperature.
- Easy Maintenance – Any flooring you have requires some level of maintenance. Just like hardwood, engineered hardwood isn’t immune to scratches. However, you can easily prevent scratches since there is available engineered hardwood that can come with a scratch-resistant top-coat. Plus, you can effectively repair them with a wax repair kit or a cotton cloth with some rubbing alcohol for smaller scratches. How easy is that? If you are looking for low maintenance, this type of flooring would suit you and your lifestyle the best!
As you can see, engineered hardwood has various unique advantages over your standard hardwood flooring. It can meet specific needs in ways that hardwood can fall flat on. The next time you consider wood flooring, keep these benefits in mind to decide what would look best and be best for your home. After all, you’re the one looking and walking on them every day!