Quality & Structure

Solid Hardwood floors

Solid hardwood floors are made from solid wood.

Each board is made from a single piece of hardwood that is about 3/4 of an inch thick.

Solid hardwood floors features

•Can be sanded and refinished.

•Ongrade or above grade installation. Do not install below grade.

•Solid hardwood floors are more prone to shrinking or expanding based on humidity levels.

•Solid hardwood flooring can be glued, nailed or stapled to a wood subfloor. These types of installations are best left to the pros, since they can challenge even experienced DIYers.

•Solid hardwood flooring DIY installation is more challenging.

•Whoever installs your solid hardwood floors must have enough experience to leave the right amount of space for hardwoods natural expansion and contraction.

•The installed individual boards can not be too tight or too loose. If they are too tight your floor will buckle. If it is too loose the gaps between the boards will get too wide in the winter.

Engineered Hardwood

Made of genuine wood, engineered hardwood flooring is made of a core of multiple plies of hardwood with a layer of hardwood veneer affixed to the top surface.

Below the top layer, cross layers of plywood are pressed to create a strong, stable core that is further reinforced by a layer of hardwood backing on the bottom.

This multi-ply structure gives engineered hardwood floors the flexibility to be installed in geographical areas that have excessive moisture, or in building spaces otherwise unsuited for solid hardwood. This flooring gives your home an updated look and feel.

Also, many engineered floors offer a floating floor option, allowing installation on a concrete subfloor, as long as the subfloor is clean, dry, and level.

Engineered hardwood floors features

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Engineered floors have enhanced stability, which provides more resistance to everyday wear- and-tear and also to buckling or rippling

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Engineered hardwood is more resistant to moisture and heat fluctuations compared to solid hardwood floors.

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Engineered wood floors can be either glued, stapled or nailed to subfloors for added stability.

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Versatile, they can be installed over all grades (below, on or above).

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They can also be installed as floating floor method, in which the boards attach to each other and “float” above the subfloor, with a suitable underlayment, to increase noise absorption, moisture resistance and overall comfort.

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Engineered hardwood flooring is an easier and faster DIY installation.