Deciding between solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring is a decision that should be made carefully. It’s important to understand what the difference is between solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring.
Solid hardwood flooring is made from one solid piece of wood. Each individual piece of hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of hardwood. Engineered hardwood flooring is made with a plywood sub-straight and a solid hardwood wear layer affixed to the top surface.
There isn’t one correct answer on which one is best for your project – it depends on a number of factors. When deciding whether solid hardwood flooring or engineered hardwood flooring is right for your project, consider:
- the rooms that you will be installing the flooring in
- the people who will be walking on and enjoying the floors
- where the rooms are located in the home
- what your dream flooring is
- your timeline
- your budget
Solid Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood floors are just that — they’re made from solid wood. Each board of solid hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of hardwood that’s usually 3/4 of an inch thick.
Where to Install Solid Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood is more reactionary to moisture and will expand and contract. For this reason, it is not recommended to install solid hardwood flooring in basements or other areas of the home where moisture and temperature are not well regulated.
The appropriate installation for solid hardwood flooring is to nail the solid planks onto a wood sub-floor (either plywood decking or sleeper system). Solid hardwood floors can be refinished multiple times throughout the life of the floor.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Engineered hardwood flooring is still made of real wood. Instead of being made of one solid piece of hardwood, it’s made with a plywood sub-straight and a solid hardwood wear layer affixed to the top surface.
Where to Install Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Engineered hardwood flooring is less reactive to fluctuations in humidity and temperature than solid hardwood floors. Because of this difference, engineered hardwood flooring may be a good solution for basements or any room built on a concrete slab.
How many times an engineered floor can be refinished depends on the thickness of the top layer of the board. The engineered hardwood floors manufactured by Swaner Hardwood are able to be refinished multiple times because of the thick wear layer used.