Engineered vs solid hardwood
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Engineered vs solid hardwood–Which floors would best suit your home?
When it comes to flooring, by far the most popular installation is hardwood. But nowadays, hardwood floors come in two different kinds: solid and engineered. In all honesty, there’s no easy answer to which installation would best suit your home. It mostly comes down to preference and lifestyle, though the installation process may play a significant role in which floors you choose. If you’re about to start renovating a room or your entire house and you’re interested in these two options, then take the time to get to know their unique characteristics before making your final decision.
The main differences between engineered and solid hardwood
Solid hardwood flooring
- Appearance: Naturally beautiful, luxuriously elegant. No two planks ever alike. Wide assortment of wood species and finishes.
- Composition: 100% solid wood.
- Durability: Long lifespan, dependent on the typeof wood, width, thickness, and finish.
- Expansion/Contraction: Solid wood expands and contracts naturally.
- Moisture/Temperature Resistance: Sensitive to temperature and moisture fluctuations.
- Cleaning and Care: Easy to care for. Requires regular sweeping and occasional damp mopping with a cleaner approved for use on wood.
- Refinishing/Sanding: Hardwood flooring can re-sanded and refinished several times.
The installation process–Solid versus engineered wood floors
When comparing hardwood flooring and engineered flooring, the installation process is very different. While engineered floors are much easier, quicker to install as they are normally prefinished, solid planks can take up to several days or weeks depending on the size of the space being renovated. Though some solid wood installations are available prefinished, most of them typically require several days for the installation as well as staining and the addition of surfacing protection.
Find the perfect floors for your redesign
Visit the J.P. Flooring showroom in Carroll, IA to find the perfect floors for your upcoming redesign. Serving the Carroll, Denison, Jefferson, Rockwell City, and Sac City, IA regions, our friendly professionals will gladly answer all your surfacing questions.