What is Engineered Wood Flooring [Explained!]

The affordability, convenience of installation, and stability of wide plank engineered flooring are just a few of the factors that may influence your decision to use it for your forthcoming project.

Much of this is correct; however, not every engineered flooring is planned and crafted to reach the same high standards of quality.

However, many individuals are unaware of what those criteria are, but they do know that they want their floor to meet the following requirements:

• Make yourself more attractive.
• Be of the highest possible caliber.
• Make yourself more stable.
• Improve the performance of your organization in your surroundings.
• Last for a lengthy period of time
• Be simple to keep up with.

Engineered wood flooring has many design features, and we’ll go over four of the most essential ones so you can see what’s underneath the surface of those attractive flooring samples.

Instead, you should analyze the intrinsic differences that will assist you in locating the highest-quality engineered floor available on the market. In addition, we’ll present you with some shopping tools and pointers to assist you along your journey.

What is Engineered Wood Flooring?

An engineered wood floor is made up of layers of hardwood and plywood, whereas a solid engineered hardwood flooring is made up of a single piece of wood that has not been layered.

Engineered hardwood flooring construction is known for its long-lasting and high-performance characteristics.

It is made of multiple layers of engineered hardwood flooring, each of which is oriented in a different direction than the one before it.

What is Engineered Wood Flooring Made Of

1. Wear Layer: A 3/16′′ wear layer, as opposed to an industry standard of 1/12′′ to 1/8′′, provides the same thickness of sanding as a solid floor without sacrificing the stability of an engineered platform.

2. Stabilicore TM: The 11-layer Baltic Birch backing increases the stability and lifespan of the flooring.

Hardwood flooring with numerous layers of backing is made out of a thin layer of wood on top (veneer) and multiple layers of backing beneath it (the core).

Because of this, the thickness of both the veneer and core vary depending on the design and the manufacturer.

This particular construction element will have the most impact on the appearance of your floor, as well as how sturdy it will be and how long it will last.

When looking for durable engineered wood flooring, you should look for goods that meet a number of requirements, including the following:

• Approximately 5/8″ or 3 1/4″ in thickness overall.
• 3/16″ is the thickness of the veneer.
• Core thicknesses are available in 9-ply and 11-ply configurations.

The manufacturer can further improve the dimensional stability of your engineered floor if they do the following:

Create the board with a core that is thicker than the veneer layer on both sides.

Use only the finest Baltic birch from Finland and Russia for your project (environments with optimum growing conditions for this species).

Each ply of the core should be layered so that the grain runs at a 90° angle to the grain pattern of the ply that came before it.

(With Carlisle engineered hardwood flooring, we pay close attention to both the design and the manufacturing details.)

The vast majority of engineered wood flooring available on the market is mass-produced.

Even if you order all of your flooring at the same time, mass production methods result in flooring boards that are all different widths, lengths, and thicknesses, which can make installation extremely difficult.

Even the color and finish of the floor can be drastically different because the flooring was purchased in bulk rather than being custom-made for each customer.

Shopper’s Tip:

Samples may be an extremely useful tool throughout the choosing process, allowing you to examine both the overall thickness of the board and the thickness of individual layers.

It can also assist you in determining the number of layers as well as the relative thicknesses of the core and the veneer.

Dimensions

Although the typical width of most engineered wood flooring is 3 inches in width, the average length is only 3 feet in length. Allow that to sink in for a second.

A 2021 room requires roughly 535 boards to be installed, which is nearly 535 boards per square foot of space.

Standard production procedures are meant to manufacture wood flooring as quickly and as efficiently as possible – it’s all about efficiency and volume, after all.

Unfortunately, the style and quality of this sort of flooring will not satisfy the needs of a client who desires a broad plank flooring installation.

Fortunately, you no longer have to settle for strip flooring – simply take a look at this magnificent Carlisle All 8′′ Wide Plank engineered Walnut floor!

When it comes to engineered wood flooring, you want to work with a manufacturer who can supply you with a variety of options, such as:

• All of them are 6 inches wide.
• All of them are 8 inches wide.
• All of them are 10″ wide.
• 6-10″ in width

Depending on the style you want, you can use only one width or a variety of widths.

Apart from wanting to make your floor wider at the widths, you also want it to be longer at the lengths.

Based on the collection, Carlisle floors are created in random lengths ranging from two to seven feet or two to twelve feet in length, with each floor being graded to attain a specific average length within the range.

This provides you with the assurance that you will receive the longer, most prestigious boards available.

With this combination of widths and lengths, you may minimize the amount of seams in your floor by up to 500 percent when compared to a typical 3″ floorboard.

This combination of widths and lengths generates fewer seams and considerably more beauty.

Shopping Tip:

When looking for engineered wood flooring, double-check the width and length criteria on any quotes you receive, as well as on your final order papers.

Don’t rely solely on “word of mouth” for specifics on specifications.

Appearance in Terms of Aesthetics

When you install your new wide plank floor, you want it to look beautiful and be solid, but you don’t want anyone to know that it is an engineered floor, and you certainly don’t want them to know that it is.

The only way to accomplish this is to utilize a veneer layer that has been cut in a very specific manner and this is where things start to get a little complicated.

An engineered wood floor can be constructed in two ways: with a dry sawn face, which is cut with a saw blade, and another manner, which is cut with a knife blade, which is sliced and rotary peeled, which is cut with a knife blade.

One is similar to slicing a slice of bread, while the other is similar to peeling a potato.

They both produce different aesthetic and qualitative attributes, but they do so in different ways.

Many people assume that an engineered wood floor isn’t as beautiful as a solid wood floor, but by learning the many types of engineered wood floors available, you can entirely erase that fear.

The dry sawn face procedure will produce an appearance that is identical to that of a solid floor.

This is accomplished by providing you with the same gorgeous heartwood, grain, and character while allowing you to choose from a larger range of widths and lengths.

A further advantage of this procedure is that it allows you to cut a thicker veneer layer, which will serve as the floor’s wear layer.

By utilizing the ideal 3/16″ wear layer, you now have a wear layer that is comparable to that of a solid wood floor.

Now, your floor will endure longer and maybe sanded several times without losing its luster (if needed).

On the contrary, engineered flooring constructed from sliced and rotary peeled material will only result in thinner veneer layers when compared to solid hardwood flooring (about 2 mm).

Because these smaller layers do not last as long as thicker layers, you will have to repair or replace your floor more frequently.

A disadvantage of this procedure is that the wood is boiled before being peeled, which may cause moisture problems with it in the future.

Finally, this process produces floorboards that are more similar to plywood than they are to a true wood floor.

Shopping Tip:

When shopping for flooring, inquire with the manufacturer (or supplier/retailer) about whether the flooring is made of dry sawn or rotary peeled wood.

If they are unable to provide a response to this question, you should reconsider your information source.

Order flooring samples and look at product images to obtain a clear picture of what the flooring will look like in your home before you buy it.

Don’t only gaze at the hue; take into account the grain, heartwood, character, and richness of the natural color as well (if your samples are already finished, you can sometimes see this on the backside of the sample).

Engineered Hardwoods vs Laminate

Important distinctions of Engineered hardwood flooring and Laminate Flooring

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered flooring, often known as engineered hardwood flooring, consists of a solid core of superior, dimensionally stable plywood with a thin veneer of hardwood on top.

The thickness of the veneer ranges from 0.5 mm to 4.5 mm.

Engineered flooring is intended to be laid on top of a subfloor because it is a floor covering.

Engineered hardwood, like solid hardwood, comes in panels that attach side by side with tongue and groove joinery.

Engineered hardwood can be installed by nailing or gluing it to the subfloor.

Flooring made of laminate

Laminate flooring is a type of high-density fiberboard (HDF) floor covering that has a photographic layer that resembles wood and is layered with a strong, transparent wear layer.

Instead of directly lying on the flooring, the laminate is supported by an intermediate foam or felt underlayment.

This layer improves board joinery and lessens footfall.

Laminate flooring that comes with pre-attached underlayment allows you to apply the laminate boards straight to the subfloor.

What Is the Best Flooring?

In all categories, neither engineered nor laminate flooring may be deemed superior to the other.

Each product meets a unique set of requirements. Instead, think of the two types of floor coverings in terms of their distinct categories.

Comfort and Appearance

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered flooring is more visually appealing than laminate flooring. Because the top is made of solid wood, it can withstand thorough inspection.

Engineered flooring is made entirely of wood from top to bottom.

As a result, it feels firmer underfoot than laminate flooring, just like genuine hardwood flooring.

All engineered hardwood flooring is pre-sanded and treated, resulting in a smooth, splinter-free surface.

Flooring made of laminate

From a distance, laminate flooring can appear to be real wood.

However, upon closer scrutiny, this resemblance crumbles.

Laminate flooring has a smooth, almost bouncy feel underfoot thanks to its foam underlayment and synthetic core.

Beneath bare feet or stockings, the wear layer is smooth and comfy, but it might be slippery under heels.

Maintenance and Upkeep

When it comes to cleaning and care, engineered flooring and laminate flooring are on par because both are rather fragile surfaces that should never be damp cleaned.

The best way to preserve both types of flooring is to do as much of the cleaning as possible with a dry broom or dry mop.

Steamers and moist mops should be avoided. Never use aggressive cleaning products including ammonia.

If you need to add liquid to the surfaces, squeeze the mop as fully as possible until it feels almost dry to the touch.

Lifespan

Engineered Wood Flooring

When properly maintained, premium engineered flooring with a thick veneer can last 20 to 50 years, or even longer.

Flooring made of laminate

The lifespan of laminate flooring is shorter than that of engineered flooring.

Some types of laminate flooring can last up to 15 to 20 years if properly maintained and put in a dry atmosphere.

Cost

Engineered Wood Flooring

• $2 to $3 per square foot is considered low.
• $3 to $4 per square foot in the medium range
• $5 to $9 per square foot is considered high.

Flooring made of laminate

• Low: $0.50–$2.00 per square foot
• $2 to $3 per square foot in the medium range
• $3 to $5 per square foot is considered high.

Our Final Thoughts

If you desire the look of genuine hardwood, laminate and engineered hardwood flooring are two excellent choices for new flooring in your home.

They are remarkably similar and have grown significantly during the previous few decades. But how can you determine which one is best for you? That’s why we have this blog to assist you!

Frequently Ask Questions