Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Reliable Floors To The Core

 Many people quite rightly seek out solid hardwood flooring as the best means to add certain warmth, class, and an atmosphere of homey comfort to an interior. But, as many find out, hardwood flooring can have limitations in areas that are prone to climatic changes; when it is humid or damp, an unfortunate effect in hardwood is often the swelling or cupping of the hardwood flooring boards. When looking to invest in long-lasting and attractive flooring therefore, one of the things to look out for is a flooring material that is likely to respond to these sorts of environmental changes without losing any of its structural stability, or its attractiveness. A solution that many have discovered for versatility, attractiveness, and with a robust design noted for structural stability is engineered hardwood flooring. But what is engineered hardwood, and what makes it so resistant to the climatic forces which usually spell doom for solid hardwood flooring?

Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Anatomy Lesson

Engineered hardwood flooring is made up of two main elements: the top layer and the core. The core is made up of stacked layers of medium or high-density fiberboard, or sometimes plywood, which most often range from 3 ply to 7 ply construction. This stacking design acts as a means to allow the flooring to counteract the effects of humidity on the natural wood, allowing each board to expand and contract without warping or cupping. As you may guess, this makes for a hardwood floor that is suitable for an installation in an area that is not environmentally controlled, or that is characterized by higher levels of dampness or humidity, such as a basement installation. The top layer of engineered hardwood floors is a species of real wood. In this sense, engineered floors are as “genuine” as any hardwood floor, with real wood that lends a space a decorative dimension that most people interested in hardwood are looking for. So, with engineered hardwood flooring, you get the functionality and toughness that the core allows, as well as the refined beauty of the real hardwood top layer that is indistinguishable to the eye from solid hardwood.

Installing Engineered Hardwood Floors

An advantage that engineered flooring has over many flooring options is that you can install it in any room, either above or below ground. It is also generally designed to be installed quickly and easily. This is advantageous not only for the do-it-yourselfer, but also to the hardwood flooring contractor who may offer engineered hardwood as a means of moving from one flooring contract to another quickly, but without sacrificing quality. With many engineered hardwood flooring lines, there is no need for nailing the boards down to the subfloor. This has a couple of implications. First, that a concrete slab subfloor is a suitable substrate on which to install engineered hardwood, unlike solid hardwood. Second, that many engineered hardwood flooring lines can either be floated, as you would a laminate floor, or glued down. As long as you subfloor is clean, level and dry, engineered hardwood flooring is a versatile option that can yield successful results without the need to consider whether or not a subfloor is suitable for a nail-down installation. In the case of a floating floor, remember to use a reliable vapor barrier between the subfloor and your flooring. The adhesives used in a glue-down option often add the advantage of acting as a built-in vapor barrier. Ask the professionals about the details on your chosen line of engineered hardwood flooring.

Locking Systems For Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Most types of engineered hardwood feature a tongue and groove locking system. These are designed for a level of precision that makes for a refined flooring surface that is free of unsightly gaps between the boards. Once again, versatility and practicality are the distinguishing features of engineered hardwood flooring. Often, these types of locking systems allow you to take up the boards at a later date when necessary, if you’ve chosen a floating floor option. So, you can take your floor with you when you’re moving house, or allow you to more easily replace any damaged boards. When making a purchase, it is a good idea to ask whether your chosen line of engineered hardwood flooring allows for this feature.

Radiant Heat and the Engineered Hardwood Floor

Radiant heat is a welcome feature to many households and commercial interiors. But, when choosing a flooring option, it is important to note the impact that radiant heating may have in the short term as well as the long term. For solid hardwood, radiant heat can have a significantly negative effect; the radiant heating can severely dry out the hardwood, which in turn causes the boards to warp and cup as they would if they were exposed to excessive moisture. Luckily, engineered hardwood has been designed to counteract this tendency, just as it has in the case of humidity and dampness in a below-grade or non-environmentally controlled interior. Once again, the core of the engineered floor expands and contracts accordingly, while preserving the structural stability of the board and the attractiveness of the top layer.

Freedom with Engineered Hardwood Flooring!

With engineered floors, you are free to consider the possibilities of using hardwood in areas that would mean disaster for a solid hardwood floor. Engineered hardwood floors allow you all of the beauty and organic feel, as well as a greater range of options as far as the location of your installation. With the dual features of an attractive top layer that is a real hardwood species, and a core which is designed to shift and move with climatic changes, engineered hardwood flooring is perfect for a basement installation, or an installation in a summer home or cottage that is not environmentally controlled all year round. Along with these functional benefits, engineered hardwood floors are often less expensive than their solid hardwood counterparts, making them worth serious consideration on a budgetary level. With all of its features that allow these advantages, engineered hardwood truly stands as being in a class by itself.

Here is a list of things to consider when purchasing, installing and maintaining your engineered hardwood floor:

Do:

• Consider the area where you will be installing your engineered hardwood floor in terms of moisture levels and foot traffic – use this to help you to choose the species of flooring that is right for what you have in mind

• Allow for a certain level of wastage per square foot when placing an order, depending on your level of expertise. You are the best judge of how much this will be, but a good range in general is 7-10% for non-professional installers.

• Read all installation instructions and warranty information very carefully

• Consult any information about your radiant heating system in order to learn the best practice when using it under an engineered hardwood floor

• Inspect your batch of engineered hardwood flooring for any defects before you begin an installation

• Make sure that your subfloor is clean, dry and level before you install your engineered flooring

• Clean your engineered hardwood floors frequently, seeing to spills immediately using DRY or DAMP mops, vacuums, and cloths

• Use rugs and runners to protect high traffic areas and access points to the outdoors. This will minimize the amount of dirt and grit that can negatively effect the finish of your engineered hardwood flooring.

Don’t:

• Use wax-based cleaners, harsh detergents, abrasives, or steel wool to clean engineered hardwood flooring

• Apply finish to an engineered hardwood floor that has already been finished at the factory

• Overwet engineered hardwood when cleaning – excessive moisture can still have a negative effect on your flooring, just as it would with solid hardwood.

• Wear spike-heels or athletic spikes on your engineered hardwood floors

This is of course by no means a comprehensive list. When making a purchase or caring for an existing floor, it can be a great benefit to consult with the experts. Local flooring contractors and sales experts in the industry are two great sources of information when you are seeking to make an informed purchase or when organizing a cleaning regimen. It is always a good idea to talk with the professionals and use their years of experience in flooring to your advantage.

About the Author:

Rob Jones is Communications Coordinator with BuildDirect (http://www.builddirect.com/), a leading online wholesaler of building products. Rob writes articles for commercial contractors and DIYers on features, installation, and maintenance of building materials used in commercial and residential projects.

 Rob Jones

More Articles 

Composting and Soil Improvements - David Selman Tracker Outdoors com
Composting provides a great natural resource! Where we live, the soil is black clay (north Texas). We have found that by using a compost, we can almost eliminate the need for commercial fertilizers to grow most vegetables, herbs and spices. Our...

Selecting Bean Bag Chairs To Suit Your Home Decor - Claire Calkin
Noted Italian designers developed the first bean bag chairs in the 1960’s. Their creation was called the ‘Sacco’, and was at the time described as an ‘anatomical armchair’. It became the first mass produced bean bag furniture. Just like its...

Outdoor Living Spaces Extend Your Livable Space And Delight The Senses. - Amy Snyder
What started out as a yard in the great American dream has evolved into an outdoor living space, encompassing dining areas, living rooms and even play areas that go way beyond the swingsets of the 1950’s. These spaces extend the livable area of...

Video Encryption - Alastair Taylor
Video Encryption is an extremely useful method for the stopping unwanted interception and viewing of any transmitted video or other information, for example from a law enforcement video surveillance being relayed back to a central viewing centre....

Natural Gas vs Charcoal Grills – Which one is right for you? - Nicole Martins
Barbequing outdoors is a pleasure that anyone can partake in and with so many types of grills available you can practically cook anywhere. One exception to the list is a natural gas grill which needs a permanent hook up. Listed below are some of the...

Vent Free, Direct Vent or Fully Vented Fireplaces - How to Choose the Right One - Carl Herkes
First, let's get an understanding of the venting used for each type of fireplace. The word "venting" refers to the means the fireplace uses to vent its exhaust safely from the room. In the case of Vent Free, exhaust is vented directly into the...

Granite Counter Tops Colors - Daniel Roshard
One of the most impressive things are walking into a newly remodeled kitchen, with its lovely colors and the elegant look of a granite countertop you can easily think you walked into a professional kitchen, or the home kitchen of...

Adirondack Chairs for Children - James Crowley
Adirondack Chairs for Children An Adirondack chair is a beautiful piece of handcrafted furniture that is commonly used for outdoor furniture. The majority of Adirondack chairs sold today are for adults; however, there are a selection...

Fleas And Roaches - A Safer Alternate To Poison - Phil Bate PhD
Some years ago, I hosted a talk show about health on a Palm Beach radio station. Someone called in, and wanted to know what to do about fleas, as she was violently allergic to the various poisons that people put on the back of the neck of their...

Landscaping Ideas With Rock - James McDonald
If your yard is suffering from boredom as it looks pretty much like any other lawn in your neighborhood, consider some landscaping ideas with rock to change things up. Your landscape is the first thing people see when they venture to your house...

Canopy Gazebo - From Simple to Sophisticated - Dion Semeniuk
Just imagine having a quiet, shady place to relax in the privacy of your backyard. With a canopy gazebo, you can do just that. These gazebos come in a variety of sizes so even a small backyard would benefit. The nice thing...

Warm and Toasty Outdoors with Patio Heaters - Nicholas Webb
The Heat is On with Patio Heaters. Any outdoor lover will tell you that the right patio heater will allow you to extend your love of the open-air life all year round. A 15-20 foot circle of heat can easily increase the outside...