Engineered Wood Floors
With cost, aesthetics and durability as key factors to look into when choosing a particularly suitable flooring material these days, the brilliant combination of cutting-edge technology and modern ecological awareness has successfully produced a fresher alternative that offers the same luxury and convenience as its hardwood and stone counterparts but without charging as much.
This wonder material is called engineered wood and has been attracting a lot of attention from renovation enthusiasts across the globe ever since it entered the flooring scene.
Truly an effective merger of advanced scientific application and straightforward conservational consciousness, engineered wood is basically made up of a thin upper layer of common hardwood varieties like oak, hickory, maple and pine attached to a compressed base of several plywood sheets.
Aside from its close physical and structural resemblance to hardwood, most contemporary homeowners prefer using the engineered type since its substrate of plywood sheets does not only improve overall material sturdiness but also dramatically enhances its resistance against humidity and moisture.
It can handle incessant foot traffic as easily as its hardwood cousin and can survive even the most unforgiving changes in temperature without staining and going out of shape.
Generally, engineered wood varieties are manufactured in pre-finished arrangements and can be treaded on immediately after installation without the risk of damage. In contrast, other flooring options still require a bit of sanding and sealing before they can be considered as completely functional, which usually requires an unfixed waiting time of approximately 3 days to a full week depending on the material used.
While there is still no existing wood-based flooring material that can flawlessly hold up to frequently damp areas better than non-organic substitutes such as vinyl, tile and concrete, engineered wood is a favorite among modern renovators to highlight kitchens, sinks and patios since it easily repels excess wetness as long as methodically wiped down at the end of the day.
On the other hand, even as engineered wood may seem your answer to greener, more affordable remodeling efforts, it still has its drawbacks: To begin with, it gradually darkens with age and some finishes tend to wear unevenly, making them very difficult to repair. Some manufacturers even cut corners by replacing high-quality wood with shoddy proxies like fiberboard or oriented strand board which can ultimately botch a floor remodeling project as soon as it’s started.
Likewise, some engineered wood factories use products heavy in volatile organic compounds or VOC’s to bind the subsurface wood bits. Once exposed to air, these compounds float upwards and merge with the existing pollutants in the atmosphere, causing possible occurrences of acid rain and smog.
Softer hardwood types used in the production of engineered wood like pine and cherry can dent much faster than other varieties if not closely attended to. There are also instances where engineered wood pieces can unexpectedly shrink or expand, depending on the areas where they are installed, creating permanent gaps and deformities that can ruin your whole floor set-up.
While mounting engineered wood on a floor surface can be a piece of cake for most experienced weekend warriors, committing even the slightest mistake while sanding it can absolutely lead to permanent damage. Over-scraping the top for more than an inch or so can expose the sheets of plywood underneath, making it lose its sophisticated and inviting appearance.
Like all popular floor remodeling materials, engineered wood has its pros and cons. While it may be somewhat weaker than genuine hardwood and natural stone, it is also much more impressive than several other alternatives like laminate and tile.
It is as visually-pleasing as it is durable and engineered wood is certainly eco-friendlier than the rest. Not bad for a flooring option that normally sells for $5 to $19 per square foot, don’t you think?
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