Engineered Flooring: The Pros and Cons

Despite being around for a long time now, engineered hardwood flooring is still quite misunderstood. Some people think it is the same as solid hardwood flooring, while others liken it to laminate flooring. In fact, the truth is somewhere between the two comparisons. Engineered flooring is made up entirely of wood - there are no synthetic elements to the material. However, engineered flooring is made up of many layers of different types of wood. The top layer gives the specific variety its namesake - for instance, African Walnut engineered flooring may have layers of different wood throughout the board, but the top layer is solid African Walnut.

So how do you know if engineered flooring is right for your specific flooring needs? The best way to decide is to compare the material's pros and cons. The following are a few of the best and worst features of engineered hardwood flooring:

Pros

Greater Resistance to Environmental Conditions
Because engineered flooring is made of many layers and not one solid board, it is more resistant to weather and environmental conditions. It is specifically designed to reduce moisture problems common with solid hardwood flooring. This design reduces bending, buckling, warping, and other moisture-related problems.

Greater Installation Versatility
Unlike solid hardwood, engineered flooring can be installed in nearly any room or floor of your house. It is appropriate for first floor, second floor, or even basement applications. It also is easier to install than solid hardwood. Many varieties don't require stapling - you can either glue the boards down or lock them into place and float the floor over an existing one.

Less Expensive than Solid Hardwood
As you might imagine, engineered hardwood flooring is less expensive than many varieties of solid hardwood. This allows homeowners to get the look and feel of traditional solid wood floors at a fraction of the cost.

Cons

Difficult to Refinish
When you scratch or dent a solid hardwood board, in most cases it is relatively easy to sand out the blemish and refinish the board. This isn't true with engineered flooring. Because the top layer is only so thick, if you sand it away you will be left with the exposed layers beneath it. Most bad dents or scrapes require the board to be replaced. This isn't always a difficult project, but it can take longer and cost more money than refinishing.

Inferior Products Do Exist!
The benefits of engineered flooring really only apply to high-quality products. Like any manufactured product, if the product is shoddily made it won't last long. Some inferior engineered flooring products have very poor veneers or finishes that can contribute to the boards' warping or fading. Likewise, if the interior layer isn't made of high-quality wood the boards can lose dimensional stability.

If you choose engineered hardwood flooring made with high-quality materials, the pros will far outweigh the cons. Visit the Wood Monsters website to learn more about engineered flooring and view our selection of products.

Hardwood Flooring: 5 Important Considerations Before You Buy

Hardwood flooring has been the most popular floor covering material in American homes for hundreds of years, and for good reasons. It is durable, versatile, attractive, and a renewable resource. But there are a few important things you should consider before buying hardwood flooring: your budget, your style, the room use, and the importance of proper installation. The following is more detailed information about each of these four considerations. Enjoy!

Budget
In today's down economy, people are more focused on their budget than ever before. We all want to get the best quality products for the best prices. We also want to have a number of choices to choose from. Luckily, hardwood flooring comes in a number of different price ranges. There are certainly specific species of wood that tend to be more expensive, but hardwood flooring prices can also vary between different retail stores based on selection and availability.

Style
Hardwood flooring is one of the most versatile home decorating materials you can buy. Its main features - color, texture, shape, grain pattern, and stain - can be combined into hundreds of different styles that fit almost any home decor imaginable. It's important to pick a style of hardwood flooring that matches your current design scheme, but also one versatile enough to fit a different decor should you remodel in the future.

Room Use
It's very important to consider the use of the room in which you'll be installing hardwood flooring. Rooms that are below ground level are only suitable for floating or engineered hardwood flooring products due to the increased risk of moisture issues. This is the same for bathrooms and laundry rooms. For high-traffic rooms such as hallways or rec rooms, it's a good idea to use a species with a neutral color - a lot of use can show in the finish of darker or lighter colors.

Installation Standards
Without proper acclimation and installation, even the highest quality hardwood flooring products can warp, bend, and buckle over time. The National Wood Flooring Association's Installation Guidelines are the standards for hardwood flooring installation in the U.S. Make sure you choose an installer that closely adheres to these guidelines.

Mr. Wood of Wood Monsters on wood floor repair

Real wood flooring is one of the most simple of all floors to repair. Options range from a full sand and refinish to spot repair of a simple scratch or dent. Do-it yourself hardwood flooring repair kits are available from many companies but without professional help in the selection of these items it is very hard for a consumer to know which is the correct product for the repair. Wood Monsters employees are well versed in this area of expertise and have available hardwood floor repair experts for further consultation when needed.

Burn in kits for deep scratches, "Bona" top coat finishes designed to be applied over the surface of the existing pre-finished floor, color putty and touch up pens are just some of the examples of wood floor repair products available through Wood Monsters.

We welcome all questions regarding the repair and maintenance of your hardwood floor and will provide answers to all inquiries.

Best regards,

Mr Wood