Engineered Wood Flooring

If you're tired of looking at your concrete or carpeted floors and ready to find a proper replacement, then you've come to the right place. Because solid wood flooring is beautiful, easy-to-clean, and a great long-term investment for homeowners, it is often sought as the primary replacement flooring in a home. There is no doubt that solid wood flooring provides a look and feel that concrete, linoleum, and carpet can't provide.

However, true solid wood flooring does come with a downside. It can be difficult to install if you're not experienced in carpentry and rather costly if you hire a contractor, which is why engineered wood flooring is an excellent alternative.

Durable and Forgiving
When solid wood floors are laid in damp areas or areas where climate changes drastically or frequently, they tend to swell, warp, and shift. The benefit of engineered wood flooring lies within the construction. Engineered wood flooring is made of two parts: the surface and the core. The surface is made of real wood while the core is constructed of multiple layers of plywood, which allows the flooring to expand and contract, thus maintaining its structural stability and appearance.

Cost Effective
Engineered wood flooring might not appear as cost effective as solid wood flooring when you initially review pricing; but once the project is completed you'll definitely notice the difference in your wallet. You'll pay anywhere from $7 - $10 for top-quality engineered strips, which is a little more than solid wood flooring strips. Regardless of just how much more expensive the materials for engineered wood flooring might cost, the savings will be seen in the long run when installation is completed.

Installation
This is where you save money and headaches. Unless you're an experienced carpenter, it's probably not wise to take on the gigantic task of installing solid wood floors yourself. But if you choose to do so, you need to be prepared for the headaches and mistakes that you're about to encounter. With that being the case, many homeowners turn to contractors to complete the job, which is where the additional costs come into play. This, again, is another benefit of engineered wood flooring.

Engineered wood flooring usually comes in a tongue-and-groove locking system with three different installation types (nail-down, glue-down, and floating). It also offers you, the homeowner, the ability to save significant amounts of money by installing it yourself, which is where the initial investment on the engineered strips becomes a wise choice.

Once you've weighed your options and decided that engineered wood floors are the route you're taking, you'll be happy to know that in the end you'll not only have more money in your pocket, but you'll have a beautiful wood floor to walk on and a sense of pride from doing it yourself.