Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood is a real wood and is built with multiple thin layers of wood called as plies that are assembled and glued together. The plies are oriented in different directions for strength, then glued under pressure. This construction technique results in a wood floor that is more stable than a solid wood floor. The inner cores are generally a hardwood and/or soft plywood type of material, and the top layer of wood which can range from 1/16" to 1/6" thickness. Due to its multi-ply structure it is less susceptible to shrinking and expanding with changes in temperatures and humidity. Engineering wood is preferred over laminate flooring as laminate flooring is not the real wood and hardwood flooring is quite difficult to install and can be finicky when it comes to moisture. They can be installed directly over concrete and may be installed in below grade applications unlike solid wood floors. Engineered Wood Floor is Pre-Finished as the top finish layer is already sanded and sealed. So as soon as the floor has been laid, you can walk on it unlike solid hardwood, which must be sealed and which requires waiting time before use. Ii can be sanded after scratches and dings develop this is the advantage of engineered wood flooring versus laminate. Though you cannot sand it more than 1-3 times depending on the thickness of the finish layer and it has to be done by a professional. You can install it in bathroom, basement or kitchen where there is less moisture. Engineered wood can be installed in a different number of ways. Like a nail-down floor which is for the 3/8" thick floor--its thinness requires nailing to enhance stability. Second is a glue-down floor the 1/2" thick floor can be nailed down and the third option is a floating floor. The 5/8" planks are thick enough to act as a floating floor. Some manufacturers offer interlocking engineered floating wood flooring that requires no glue. Engineered hardwoods are available as strips and planks. Longstrip flooring is composed of thin boards spliced together to form longer and wider planks. Parquet flooring is available as tiles that have been glued together in some type of geometric design. As engineering hardwood floor appearance is nearly identical to solid hardwood. With engineered hardwood flooring, the determining factors are more likely to be location or the type of installation. It's a better choice for installation over concrete slab construction or finishing a basement. Quality is determined by the thickness of the boards and particularly the veneer. The thicker the top veneer, the more likely it can be refinished if needed. Thickness ranges from 3/8 inch to 5/8 inch thick. Another factor in the quality is the type and thickness of the finish on top of the veneer. One should always purchase extra boards for repairs. Other benefits include the reduction of allergens and dust which enhances indoor air quality. You have to take few precautions like Sweep, vacuum, or use a dust mop every day or so, clean spills immediately and make sure the surface is dry, place a door mat on both side of exterior doors to pick up as much debris. It cuts down on dirt throughout the house. For damp mopping use a mop that is just barely damp and be sure that no water remains on the floor when you're done. You can recoat floors to prevent wear to the veneer. You have to make sure dogs have their nails clipped otherwise expect extra wear and unnecessary dings. We have various plans with virtual tours on www.houseplancentral.com to choose from where you can get an idea.

Kevin Carden is the publisher of www.houseplancentral.com, a website offering a large collection of home plans and unique house plans in many different architectural styles, from the nation's top house designers and architects.