Is this a competition, or do they complement each other??
So, what is the difference between solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring? Are they interchangeable? Does it matter which one I get?
Engineering with a purpose
Solid hardwood flooring is a tried and true flooring that has been used for centuries ? millennia, even. It is practical, beautiful, and a renewable resource. It can be made to look very elegant and classy or made to look more rustic. What?s not to like?
The problem is that solid hardwood flooring and moisture do not play well together. Solid hardwood will swell and shrink from moisture, and if enough water is present, it will bow over time. Also, solid hardwood is designed to be nailed down to a wood subfloor. That means that when you have below-grade rooms (like basements) or concrete subfloors (like slab-construction), traditional solid hardwood is not a good option.
Engineered wood flooring is composed of a thin layer of hardwood affixed to a plywood or other moisture-resistant core. This core material protects the surface wood from the moisture present in below-grade rooms. Further, it gives the surface wood stability, protecting it from bowing and warping from the humidity?the core permits either a glued-down application or installed as a floating floor.?
Can one be swapped for the other?
Engineered wood flooring can be installed anywhere that solid hardwood can be installed, but things do not work the other way around. The drawback with engineered hardwood is that it can only be sanded and refinished once or twice, where solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished many times. Depending on your needs will depend on which type of floor best suits your needs.
When it comes to wood floors, we at All Hardwood Floors are the place to go. We have mobile?showrooms in Norwalk, CT, and Tarrytown, NY for your convenience, and we serve the areas White Plains, New Rochelle, and Yonkers, NY along with Stamford, New Haven, Norwalk, Bridgeport, New London, Hartford, and Danbury, CT. Give us a call and let one of our knowledgeable associates walk you through all of the benefits that hardwood flooring can bring to your home. You will be glad you did.
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