Solid vs Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors.... they can definitely add not only beauty to your home, but also value.  This is great when trying to place your house on the market.  Our housing market here in Wichita, KS has found that houses with well finished hardwood floors are selling almost twice as fast as houses with carpet, or hardwood that have not been taken care of properly.

If you don't have hardwood floors in your home and are planning on hiring someone to install them, the first decision you have to make is what type of hardwood flooring do you want.  Do you want solid hardwood flooring or engineered hardwood flooring, and what are the differences?

Solid wood flooring is made up of planks or strips that are complete hardwood lumber from top to bottom and end to end.  The wood can vary from length and width, depending on what you choose to go with.  The thickness of the wood is normally 3/4 of an inch thick.  The wood is installed unfinished and is then sanded and finished.

Engineered pre-finished flooring is made up of several layers of wood/plywood glued together in a cross grain pattern.  The top layer, which is the hardwood, is completely finished at the factory with multiple coats of highly durable (aluminum oxide) finish.  The floor is installed by nailing or gluing it into place.

What are the benefits of using one over the other?  Well for the engineered wood it is the simplicity of it all.  The wood is pre-finished so there are no sanders coming in after the installation needing to sand.  Also, since the finish has already been applied, no waiting period to walk on your floors or to place any furniture on them.  You just install the floor and enjoy!

The benefits of solid wood floor are different yet very appeasing!  With solid wood floors if you get tired of the look of them, you simply have to sand them and then add any color stain you want.  Also, if you begin to have damage to your floors (kids, water, pets, sun, etc.) the floors can be easily patched or sanded and refinished.  Pre-finished floors have such a thin top layer of hardwood they often can only be sanded a few times and then it is time to rip out and replace.  Solid wood flooring, if properly taken care of, will last a lifetime or even longer!

Each person is different in the product they choose for their home.  Each situation is unique in it's own way of why a certain home needs a particular type of flooring over another.  It is best to contact a well educated installation company on what type of flooring is right for you and your home.  The large chain companies (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) aren't usually the best place to find a well educated hardwood flooring professional.  Stick with the local companies that specialize in hardwood flooring only.  These are the people that do this everyday for a living, so they will help you on your journey of selecting what product is right for you.

If you have any questions, we are always here to answer them.  You can reach Wichita Wood Floor Specialists at 316-747-4066 or visit us at our website www.wichitawoodfloorcleaning.com .  Contact us for a free in home consultation today!