Which is right for your home?
Both hardwood and engineered hardwood floors are beautiful, durable options for flooring in your home. But which one is right for you?
Hardwood floors are made from a single piece of wood that is cut from a tree. Engineered hardwood floors are made from several layers of wood that are glued together. The top layer is usually made from hardwood, while the remaining layers are made from softer woods.
There are a few things to consider when deciding between hardwood and engineered hardwood floors:
- Price: Hardwood floors are generally more expensive than engineered hardwood floors.
- Installation: Hardwood floors must be nailed or glued down to the subfloor, while engineered hardwood can be installed over a floating subfloor.
- Availability: Engineered hardwood is more readily available than hardwood flooring, and it can be found at most home centers and flooring retailers.
- Maintenance: Both engineered hardwood and hardwood floors require regular maintenance, but because of their layered construction, engineered hardwood floors typically require less routine care to keep them looking great for years to come. Be sure to check out our tutorial on how to clean wood floors for more information on caring for your new floor!
- Versatility: Either type of wood flooring can look great in any room of the house, but because many engineered hardwoods come prefinished or ready-to-install, they are a good option for people who are not comfortable installing hardwood flooring themselves.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to install hardwood or engineered hardwood floors in your home comes down to personal preference. If you want a traditional look and feel, go with hardwood floors. If you want something that is more versatile and easy to maintain, choose an engineered hardwood floor. Whichever option you choose, both types of wood floors will add beauty and value to your home. However hardwood is the most expensive option.
Engineered hardwood is more readily available than hardwood flooring at your local home center and flooring retailer.
The top layer of hardwood floors is made from hardwood, while engineered wood uses two or three layers of soft woods glued together with a layer of high-density fiberboard (HDF) or plywood in between and then topped with a thin layer of real wood. The remaining layers are made from softer woods such as poplar, pine and fir to reduce cost. Engineered wood floors can be refinished multiple times over the course of their lifetime, making them more practical for areas that receive heavy usage such as foyers or family rooms. Some come prefinished but most do not; those that don’t come prefinished should be treated with a factory sealant or a finish applied by the homeowner to protect it from wear and staining.