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Posted on April 1, 2006 by Alphonso Sirtle.. | Posted under Home Improvement
Solid Hardwood Flooring vs. Engineered Hardwood Flooring
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There are two major types of hardwood flooring that you can add to your home. Solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring are those two choices. This comes before what color, what style, and what price. Both have a great deal of benefits, and both have downfalls that deserve a closer look. One is not automatically better than the other, just one will be better suited to your needs. It is often difficult to find information concerning which is better than the other. However, I would like to clear up some of those questions. Introducing Solid Hardwood FlooringSolid hardwood flooring is just like it sounds: manufactured from solid wood. Someone has taken a piece of lumber and cut it into the shape needed to create your hardwood floor. Usually, solid hardwood flooring comes in " width and comes notched at both ends so that with a little glue and a few nails, you get that perfect hardwood floor. Sound perfect? Well, there are some downfalls to this perfect hardwood floor. Introducing Engineered Hardwood FlooringEngineered hardwood flooring is just like it sounds: engineered through modern technology to offer you a better hardwood floor. Usually, these are strips of wood super-heated together against the grain of the other to offer added stability and functionality. These offer many of the same qualities of the solid hardwood flooring, except you get an added benefit: moisture resistance. This sounds great! However, this too has a series of downfalls. How do you avoid the downfalls of these two, popular types of hardwood flooring? Well, you ask yourself a series of questions. Depending on your answers, you may go either towards the engineered of the solid hardwood flooring. Both offer the same gleam, beauty, and resilience. However, both have extra qualities that make one or the other perfect for your home or office needs. What Level Will The Hardwood Flooring Be Installed?There are three basic options at this point. You have the first option which is the ground level. Ground level hardwood floor can be either engineered or solid hardwood flooring depending on the other options. The second option is that the hardwood flooring will be installed on upper floors or above ground level. This again can take either engineered or hardwood flooring. Then you have below ground level. This is usually the best place for engineered hardwood flooring. Why? Because it is humid in most lower level homes. More on that subject next. What Is This I Keep Hearing About Moisture?This is the biggest difference between what engineered and solid hardwood flooring can handle safely. Homes tend to gather moisture. Of course, some rooms such as the bathroom or laundry room are better at collecting moisture than other rooms. When you have a part of your home below ground level, that area of your home will tend to have a higher humidity or moisture level than the rest of your home. What does this mean to you? A whole lot actually. Solid hardwood flooring tends to absorb moisture. This means your floor will need room to breathe. Solid hardwood flooring systems need that breathing room or your flooring will buckle. Engineered hardwood flooring is moisture resistance and not prone to that same expansion and contraction that is common with the solid hardwood flooring. This makes engineered hardwood flooring extremely priced if you are wanting an install and forget type of flooring system. So, Is There A Price Difference?Of course, the price difference will vary from install to install though. Usually, solid hardwood flooring is more expensive than the solid hardwood flooring. This price difference along with the moisture resistance of the engineered hardwood flooring makes these hardwood floors so popular. People have fallen in love with the simplistic nature of the engineered hardwood flooring. Why Would I Even Consider A Solid Hardwood Flooring System Then?Nothing beats the look, the feel, and the smell of solid hardwood flooring. Nothing. While it does expand and contract according to the humidity in the air, there are ways to help that hardwood flooring. One popular method is to add breathing room for your floor. A solid hardwood floor is a miracle of beauty and grace. Engineered hardwood floors just do not compare. A solid hardwood floor can last generations. Engineered hardwood floors often have a shorter life span. Which one is right for you? Choosing between an engineered or solid hardwood flooring is not always an easy decision. Of course, there are certain factors that will make up your mind for you. However, I would always suggest someone install solid hardwood flooring if that is even a serious consideration. What you get in return is worth its weight in gold. Besides, a solid hardwood flooring tends to have a life to it that engineered hardwood flooring can never mimic. About The Author: Alphonso has been working in the home remodeling industry for last 5 years. Take advantage of his experience and written material on flooring ideas at his website at http://www.improve-home.com |
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