Engineered Wood Flooring- The Reasons Behind It Being So Popular
When it comes to flooring with a hard surface, there is a wide variety of options available, including genuine white oak hardwood and resilient deluxe vinyl that imitates the grain patterns of real hardwood as closely as possible. When you have a lot of different options to pick from, it can frequently feel overwhelming, and this can lead to the formation of a lot of questions. In this blog, we will be discussing engineered wood flooring.
What is engineered wood flooring?
Engineered flooring is distinguished by the fact that it has been thoughtfully planned, constructed, and designed.
It is not the natural wood floor that was once there, which was grown from a tree. Let’s take a closer look at what that interpretation entails.
The hardwood on the surface of engineered wood flooring looks almost identical to solid hardwood flooring, but instead of a single wood plank, engineered wood flooring is made of a high-quality particleboard core with a thin layer of hardwood flooring on the surface.
Although engineered wood flooring is a more cost-effective option, it cannot be refinished to enhance its lifespan in any way.
The decision between these two surfaces, which are used virtually everywhere in the house and offer almost exactly the same advantages, comes down to a matter of very personal preference.
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How is engineered wood flooring manufactured?
The top layer, or decorative layer, of an engineered wood floor, must be made of wood. When compared to laminate flooring, where a printed layer serves as the decorative layer, engineered floors can only have a natural layer serve that purpose.
True wood veneers are used in the creation of laminate flooring. The core HDF material is made with wood chips, but the decorative surface is not made from real wood.
The thickness of the real wood veneer used for decoration is unimportant. Top layers that are thicker last longer and can be sanded more often. In addition, it’s important to remember that increasing the thickness of the top layer can raise the final price.
The core board is the second part of engineered flooring. This is the layer upon which the decorative topcoat can be bonded. The central board is critical. It reinforces and stabilizes the floor as a whole.
In terms of durability against moisture and temperature fluctuations, the core is constructed from materials that are superior to solid wood flooring. Engineered wood flooring uses a variety of core board materials.
Types of engineered wood flooring available
Now let us see what are the various types of engineered or composite wood flooring available in the market-
● Multi-ply variant
The most popular variety of engineered wood flooring is made up of multiple layers. Feeling underfoot is most similar to that of walking on solid wood. Extra protection against cupping and over-expansion is provided by the multiple layers. The average total thickness is between 13 and 20 millimeters. Plywood’s reinforced center provides the support necessary for widths of up to 350 millimeters.
● HDF-core variant
A less common option is engineered flooring with an HDF core. Their adaptability, however, is contributing to their rising popularity. The central component is compatible with click installation systems that are user-friendly for the do-it-yourself crowd, making setup a breeze. Due to the inherent strength of high-density fiber cores, the overall thickness is often reduced, allowing for smoother transitions between different floor types.
● Three-ply variant
A third popular option is a three-layer engineered floor. There is no cupping or overexpansion, and yet the material has a pleasant feel once installed. Common total thicknesses are between 12 and 18 millimeters. With regards to board widths, anything under 200mm should only have a 3-ply core. The reason why this is the case is that the stability of a wide plank wood floor is dependent on its core, which is not as sturdy as a multi-ply core.
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The various advantages it comes with
Engineered wood flooring, as is well known, has a real wood veneer on its top, highlighting the material’s inherent beauty. However, there are additional benefits to think about.
- • More stability is ideal for older houses, which are more susceptible to the damaging effects of extreme temperature and humidity swings.
- • Underlayment made specifically for engineered wood floors can be used to add leveling and insulating benefits to the floor.
- • Underlayment made specifically for engineered wood floors can be used to add leveling and insulating benefits to the floor.
- • Engineered flooring’s rising profile means greater availability of styles and colors.
- • The potential for injury from cupping is minimal at best.
Therefore, this is all about engineered or composite wood flooring that people must know and be aware of, before purchasing it for installation.
