With the variety of hardwood flooring available on the market, it is difficult to figure out what is best for you. Different styles of hardwood can take days to install. It can be overwhelming to choose from vinyl flooring, prefinished flooring, or solid flooring. Every style has different installation lengths and finishing processes. Learning more about the different types can help you choose the best hardwood flooring for your home.
Engineered Hardwood vs Solid Hardwood
Engineered hardwood flooring is constructed of different layers of wood material. There are multiple layers of plywood with a top layer of hardwood. Every layer of plywood is in a different direction to prevent warping and bowing in moist areas.
Solid Hardwood flooring is a solid plank of wood with no layers. This wood can be sanded and refinished multiple times to change with your home. It consists of grooves and edges on opposite sides to interlock into place. Then, they are nailed into place onto a subfloor.
The Differences Between Engineered Hardwood and Solid Hardwood
Wear Layer - This refers to the re-sandable wood surface above the tongue and groove on wood flooring. The wear layer on a 3/4″ solid hardwood wood floor is typically 6 millimeters (mm), which typically allows for 4-5 re-sandings. A quality engineered floor will have a 3mm or thicker wear layer.
Overall Thickness - Engineered hardwood flooring comes in a variety of thickness, and is typically overall thinner than solid hardwood flooring.
- Solid hardwood flooring is most commonly 3/4” thick, but does come in ½”.
- Engineered hardwood flooring is anywhere from 3/8 to 9/16” thick.
Length & Width - Engineered hardwood planks tend to be wider and shorter than solid hardwood planks.
Texture - Most prefinished engineered hardwood flooring comes with slightly beveled edges which creates small grooves between the boards, compared to solid flooring which have square edges. The beveled edges help to account for any natural board discrepancies that would be sanded smooth on a site finished floor.
Longevity - Solid hardwood has the ability to be refinished multiple times, while engineered hardwood may need to be replaced if you want a different finish.
Repairs - In order to repair engineered hardwood, you must replace the boards due to the composition of the boards. With solid hardwood, it is easier to repair because the boards can be refinished multiple times. They can be sanded down and refinished to match your other boards.
Installation Time - Engineered hardwood has the shortest install time of the different types of flooring. Onsite solid hardwood installation takes the longest amount of time, with prefinished hardwood being in the middle of the two lengths of time.
Extra tip - You still get a lot more out of solid prefinished hardwood than you would engineered hardwood.
Why Engineered Hardwood Flooring?
Engineered hardwood has many pros to consider. The construction of the hardwoods makes it incredibly durable and gives it high-performance qualities. Due to certain advantages over solid hardwood, it allows for installation in more homes.
- Engineered flooring is cheaper. This is partially because of the ease of installation. The cost can range anywhere from $3 to $14 per foot compared to solid hardwood flooring being a price of $8 to $15. The price mainly is determined by the material of wood layered on the plywood.
- Variety of ways to be installed. Engineered hardwood can be nailed or screwed down, glued in, or floated over an underlay. Nailing down your hardwood flooring is often seen as the ideal method, as it is quick and is held together tighter when working on a larger area.
- Difficult to tell the difference between solid hardwood flooring. The top layer of wood in engineered hardwood looks similar to solid hardwood when installed. There are some differences, but it can be difficult to tell when viewing your floors from afar.
- Engineered hardwood flooring can be more sustainable than solid hardwood flooring. It makes use of leftovers from other wood-making processes.
What is the Installation Process?
Any installation process is going to take time, so it is important to realize that it might take a few days. For 24 hours after the new flooring is installed, you will be unable to walk on the floors. You must also check the boards for any warping that might’ve occurred in transportation.
- Lay down an underlay - An underlayer is a thin layer that can be made out of a variety of materials that help cushion and protect your floors from moisture.
- Lay down your first row - Starting from the wall, put down your boards and apply wood glue to the ends of the boards with the groove facing out.
- Put down the rest of your boards - Follow the same method above, putting wood glue on the ends and facing the groove out. (Keep in mind that certain types of engineered hardwood have a locking mechanism that doesn’t require wood glue.)
- Remove tape - If you are using wood glue, it is often recommended to utilize tape to keep the boards in place as you put them down. After every board is laid down, you remove tape.
- 24 hours after - Limit foot traffic on the flooring for 24 hours after installation. This will ensure that the glue is set and dried properly.
- At the end - After everything is done, and the 24 hour time period has passed, install transitions and moulding.
Kansas City’s Hardwood Professionals
Engineered hardwood flooring can give you access to a variety of styles. At Totta Hardwoods, we have installed many patterns and wood types. Our professionals have likely heard it all, and will be able to help you out with any ideas you have. While we specialize in prefinished hardwood flooring, schedule an in-depth consultation today, and we can find the best hardwood style for your home. If you just want to contact us, one of our professionals will be able to help you out!
