When choosing hardwood floors one of the most important things to consider is where in your home you’ll be installing them.
If you’re installing your floors in your home and ABOVE grade or ground level, you can use solid hardwood flooring. If you’re installing your new floor in the basement or BELOW grade, you’ll need to use engineered hardwood as it is more resistant to moisture. Engineered hardwood is also the best choice for installing in condos.
If your subfloor is concrete, engineered hardwood is your best choice. If you have a wooden subfloor, stick with solid hardwood.
If you’ve been wondering, “What is engineered hardwood?” or what the difference is between the two wood flooring types, we’ll walk you through some of the differences between them.
When choosing between engineered vs. solid hardwood flooring, one of the most important things to consider is where in your home you’ll be installing it.
If you’re installing your floors in your home and ABOVE grade or ground level, you can use solid hardwood flooring. If you’re installing your new floor in the basement or BELOW grade, you’ll need to use engineered hardwood as it is more resistant to moisture. Engineered hardwood is also the best choice for installing in condos.
If your subfloor is concrete, engineered hardwood is your best choice. If you have a wooden subfloor, stick with solid hardwood.
*Dimension stability in lumber refers to its ability to maintain its original size and shape despite changes in moisture content or environmental conditions, minimizing warping, shrinking, or swelling. This property is crucial for ensuring the structural integrity and longevity of wood products.
When choosing your type of wood flooring, whether engineered or solid hardwood, you should consider not only appearance but also lifestyle factors like foot traffic, pets, and children. Engineered wood flooring, with its multi-layer construction, generally offers better resistance to moisture and wear from pets, kids, and heavy foot traffic compared to solid hardwood. However, both types can withstand daily use with proper maintenance, with solid hardwood potentially lasting longer due to its ability to be refinished multiple times.
The species of wood you choose will depend largely on the style of your room and personal preference. Oak, maple and birch are common in most homes, but all wood species are suitable for everyday living.
There are many physical textures now available that will give your room a specific look – bandsaw, wire-brushed and hand-scraped are some of the most common. There are also visual textures available (previously known as grading) that have larger knots, more mineral streaking, colour variation in the wood and richer grain structure.
Another factor to consider is the gloss level. There are many different glosses available: ultra matte (15%), low gloss (20%-35%) and high gloss (35%-50%). The gloss level you choose can change the look you are trying to achieve entirely. The number of coats of polyurethane does not have any bearing on product performance – the application is what matters.
