Is Engineered Flooring Basically More Convenient Hardwood?
Everyone loves the sturdy and polished look of a hardwood floor. This type of flooring has long been associated with opulence, and its timeless aesthetics are the envy of most homeowners. The only downsides are that hardwood can be troublesome to install and its price can be a little steep. Because of these notable issues, engineered hardwood flooring can often be a fantastic alternative.
What Is Engineered Hardwood?
Whereas solid hardwood is made up of one species of wood through and through, engineered hardwood’s composition is a synthesis of many different layers. The surface layer is genuine hardwood while the other layers may consist of high-density fiberboard, plywood, or more hardwood. These underlying layers give the product even greater stability than solid hardwood, yet the outer layer gives it that authentic hardwood appearance. Engineered hardwood is vastly different from laminate flooring since it contains genuine hardwood while laminate is just a depiction or image of wood. Since laminate is relatively inauthentic, it is typically the cheapest alternative when going for a wooden appearance.
General Benefits of Engineered Hardwood
The layered design of engineered hardwood allows for it to impede moisture unlike solid hardwood that can experience moisture damage over time. Furthermore, engineered flooring will not warp like traditional hardwood. While all of these pros improve maintenance costs, this flooring type also has a lower entry cost compared to solid hardwood. Since only a thin layer of genuine hardwood is used for this flooring, consumers are able to purchase more exotic and rare wood species without breaking the bank.
