Engineered hardwood flooring is often called “solid wood flooring” because it can be installed over concrete and in basements and used in more places. Although, because of the way the boards are constructed, with sturdy wood only on the top layer, they are highly resistant to many environmental issues, such as muck and moisture, rather than impact.
There are several orders for designed wood flooring. It typically has a configuration that takes into account the establishing method, the completeness of the surface, the surface, the pressure being applied, and, surprisingly, the type of wood. The most important arrangement is the establishment method because it will help you choose even less.
How is Engineered Wood Made?
The type of base affects how engineered wood is manufactured. Boards with an HDF center are composed of a support layer, a single, sturdy layer of HDF; the outside is made of natural wood. Engineered wood’s two middle options use a different cycle by stacking fiberboard pieces under the wood veneer in opposite directions.
Engineered wood veneers are used to cover engineered hardwood. Next, the floor is cut and made using one of three methods, each giving it a different look.
Dry solid-Sawn
This permits gradual, low-humidity drying of the wood. This more expensive process might make the veneer appear and feel more substantial.
Rotary-Peel
This method involves boiling the log for a certain period at a predetermined temperature, then scraping the log along its side to generate the veneer, and pressing the veneer flat.
Solid Sliced-Peel
To prepare the hardwood using this method, the log must be boiled at a specific temperature for a specific period of time. The wood is then cut along its length and pressed to form a veneer. Finally, a natural wood slice is joined to the core to form an engineered hardwood board.
Method of Adhesive Installation
Applying glue to joints is necessary for this technique to increase grip. Whether or not the planks were previously glued, they are stuck to the floor when using the adhesive installation method. The adhesive approach is frequently employed when installing engineered wood flooring over concrete subfloors.
Installation Method Using Nails
Even though it’s not as common as other methods, engineered wood floors can be attached to wooden subfloors with nails. In this instance, the engineered wood planks are secured to the flooring using nails.
Installation Method Using Click-Lock
Modern engineered wood flooring alternatives are installed using the click-lock technique. By connecting the tongue-and-groove boards, a floating floor is constructed. The click-lock method is also the most economical choice because it doesn’t require glue or nails. The flooring is supported by a subfloor and its weight.
This installation method lets you quickly remove the flooring for maintenance or replacement. Additionally, many click-lock engineered wood floor planks are simple for eager do-it-yourselfers to install.
Tongue and Groove
The tongue and groove design is the most popular installation technique for engineered hardwood. To join the planks together, slide the tongue of one into the groove of the other. Planks can be laid as a floating floor by nailing, sticking, or both. Tongue and groove planks must be joined with tongue and groove adhesive if you wish to float the planks.
Shopping Advice for Engineered Wood Flooring
There are a few things to consider if you want engineered wood flooring. Consider these suggestions when buying engineered wood flooring planks from various manufacturers since not all are equal.
Get Samples of Different Styles
Engineered wood flooring is manufactured in large quantities. Even if you buy all your floorings from the same company, it may be harder to install because boards made with mass production methods can have different widths, lengths, and thicknesses. By getting samples, you can compare different options and see how different thicknesses, colors, and finishes might look in your home. As a result, your options may be limited.
Popular Engineered Wood Flooring Styles
Engineered wood flooring continues to grow in the home improvement market as people look for more affordable, flexible, and long-lasting ways to put down hardwood flooring. But engineered wood floors come in different styles and finishes based on the type of wood, color, finish, and texture. Look at the most popular types of engineered wood flooring for each classification.
Types of Engineered Wood Flooring
Species Trends
Whitewashed Engineered Wood Floors
Any room in the house can benefit from white-washed engineered flooring, which is both fashionable and reasonably priced. You really can’t go wrong with this flooring if you want your interior to feel airy and light.
A white-wash engineered floor is also convenient because it arrives finished. With all these advantages, you might be excused for assuming this option would be extremely expensive. However, this is not true.
Honey and Colored-Copper Engineered Wood Floor
This oak floor is brushed and given a natural oil finish to give it a gorgeous honey color that will brighten any space. This engineered hardwood flooring option combines the natural beauty of oak with a vibrant honey hue to produce a hardwood floor that adds a touch of class to any room.
Greige-Engineered Wood Floors
Grey and beige are combined to form the word “greige.” The Greige trend is a light color that looks great on hardwood floors. It combines the best parts of warmer beige tones and cooler grey undertones.
The Greige color, a hallmark of the Scandinavian cozy and sleek style, combines beige and grey for a winning combination of modernism and edginess.
White Oak Engineered Wood Floors
Engineered white oak wood is made up of several layers of plywood and a layer of natural wood on top. White oak or other types of wood can also be used for the plywood layers.
Although it also grows in some regions of Europe, the white oak tree is a species that is indigenous to North America. They are powerful, adaptable, and simple to craft for various uses.
European White Oak Engineered Wood Floors
French White Oak engineered flooring is unmatched in quality, sturdiness, and beauty. Because it is made with nine layers of high-quality solid plywood, the French White Oak is a reliable and long-lasting base. For those who want the best, this is unquestionably the solution.
Gray Wood Engineered Wood Floors
One of the most popular flooring trends right now is gray wood flooring, but like any other kind of flooring, it has many potential pitfalls.
Gray floors throughout your house can look HGTV-chic or awkwardly 1980s shoulder pads/perm.
The majority of gray floors are engineered because most people prefer narrower planks; it is more difficult (and expensive) to find wide solid wood planks.
Texture Trends
Distressed Engineered Wood Floors
The distressed engineered hardwood flooring is an attractive option for flooring and can give your house a lovely, rustic feel. Using certain sanding and staining techniques, the knots, cracks, and other natural features of distressed engineered hardwoods are brought out to show the wood’s true character.
Wirebrushed Engineered Wood Floors
Hardwood flooring with wire brushing is a popular style in the market. This is possible because of a unique process called “texturizing,” which gives the hardwood planks a lot of visual interest and hides stains and scratches very well.
The finish on “wire-brushed” hardwood floors is made by scraping the wood planks with a wire brush with stiff bristles. A wood floor with an exposed soft grain will have more texture than a typical glossy finish.
The final appearance is rustic, distressed, and lightly weathered.
Wire-brushed hardwood floors look like a barn or reclaimed wood.
Hand-Scraped Engineered Wood Floors
Anyone looking for something slightly different will find hand-scraped wood flooring, which is very popular nowadays. As the name suggests, this type of wood flooring uses a process called hand scraping to give the appearance of being old, distressed, and worn.
Hand-scraped wood floors come in a wide range of aesthetics, each with a distinctiveness that adds to the appeal of this type of wood flooring.
Finishing Trends
Oiled Engineered Wood Floors
When engineered wood flooring is lightly brushed and oiled, it shows more of the natural beauty and charm of the wood. It is finished with several coats of oil to protect the floor from daily use and to give the flooring a matte, natural appearance.
You can enjoy the wood’s natural beauty while protecting it from foot traffic by having a wooden floor that has been brushed and oiled.
Matte-Finished Engineered Wood Floors
In the past, this kind of floor finish wasn’t prevalent, but it’s starting to gain popularity once more. This is partially due to the market’s preference for old or worn-looking interior design components.
Matte-finished engineered wood floors are smooth, not rough, and even though they lack gloss or shine, they are still simple to sweep and clean. However, they are much more tolerant of scuffs, scratches, dirt, and dust because they don’t reflect light. As a result, they are frequently preferred by families with children or those who own pets because there is less obligation to keep the floors spotless.
Satin-Finished Engineered Wood Floors
A satin finish gives you a variety of options when selecting the finish for a hardwood floor. The amount of sheen, luster, or light reflected for each type of finish has varied.
A matte finish has a more natural appearance and reflects much less light than a high-gloss finish, making it appear shiny. Satin-finished engineered wood floors have a light to moderate amount of sheen, making the floor glossy while concealing scuffs, scratches, and dirt like a matte floor.
Smoke-Finished Engineered Wood Floors
Pattern Trends
Wide Plank Engineered Wood Floors
Engineered hardwood offers versatility and beauty in a real wood flooring product. Most of the flooring lines are available in an engineered comprehensive plank option. The wide plank-engineered flooring comes in widths from 3″ to 11″ and lengths ranging from two feet to 12 feet, and most hardwood floors have a 1-2mm wear layer.
Herringbone-Engineered Wood Floors
The luxurious look and unique style of herringbone flooring can instantly change any traditional or modern space. This is the best flooring if you want a hardwood floor that will last a long time and add charm and appeal to your house.
Engineered parquet block flooring can be used in any room of your home. It works well with underfloor heating and can be put in places like conservatories where the temperature changes and there is a lot of glass.
Verify Width and Lengths
The typically engineered wood floor plank is roughly three feet long and three inches broad. However, some manufacturers may provide six to ten inches wide planks. Check and confirm the width and length of your planks on every quotation you receive while you shop for engineered wood flooring. Don’t rely on word-of-mouth measurements because if you get the wrong width, you may need to buy more boards to finish the project.
Ask for the Manufacturing Method
Engineered wood floors look nice, which is one reason to choose them, in addition to their many advantages. Each engineered wood flooring plank’s veneer layer gives it its final appearance. Using a knife blade for a rotary peel or a saw blade for a dry saw cut are the two methods available.
They both create aesthetic qualities that are different from one another. For example, the dry saw will simulate a solid wood floor’s appearance. On the other hand, the sliced and rotary peel material has a thinner veneer and won’t last as long as the other. Again, this is the reason why obtaining samples is essential during the purchasing process.
Things to Consider when buying Engineered Wood
Before buying any floor, consider the following: Always look for thicker veneer flooring to ensure it lasts longer. Your floors can only be refinished or sanded if the veneer layer is thick enough. This means that when they wear out, you will have to replace them. Next, look for engineered wood flooring with a core made of high-grade plywood. Engineered wood floors can handle changes in temperature and humidity better than solid wood floors.
Find engineered hardwood floors with a plywood core that is more flexible if you want the best kind. Your engineered wood floor will be more durable with more layers of finish. You want engineered wood flooring with three to nine layers of plywood core. The product’s durability increases with the number of layers. Finally, look for choices that have any other extra features. Choose one that suits your demands and way of life. For instance, homes with children and dogs would select waterproof and scratch-resistant planks; dent-resistant, stainable, and prefinished are further qualities.
