What Are the Different Types of Engineered Wood Floors?
Engineered wood is a man-made wood product which has a core made of five to nine layers, or plies, of wood laminated together in a cross-ply construction. The plies are alternately layered in the opposite direction to increase dimensional stability, causing engineered wood to be more moisture resistant that traditional hardwood. On the top of the core of engineered hardwood, there is a wear layer that is a solid wood veneer. The wear layer will usually determine the price and quality of the engineered wood floors that are being installed. Wear layers may be as thin as 1/12 of an inch (.21 cm) to ½ of an inch (1.27 cm). Wear layers that are at least 1/8 of an inch (.32 cm) allow for the wood to be refinished at least once if not more. Similar to laminate flooring, engineered wood floors are constructed with a tongue and groove system that allows for easier installation. Engineered floors can be nailed or stapled down as traditional hardwood floors or glued down in the case of covering a
Engineered wood floors are a popular option for people who want to have wood floors installed in their homes. Primarily created to increase resistance to moisture through increased dimensional stability, engineered wood floors share characteristics of traditional hardwood floors and laminate floors or composite floors. Although many things about engineered wood floors will vary, the two main types of engineered wood are prefinished and unfinished wood floors. Before looking at the two different types of floors, it is important to understand how engineered wood floors are built and the different properties they have. Engineered wood is a man-made wood product which has a core made of five to nine layers, or plies, of wood laminated together in a cross-ply construction. The plies are alternately layered in the opposite direction to increase dimensional stability, causing engineered wood to be more moisture resistant that traditional hardwood.
