Solid Hardwood VS Engineered Hardwood

While both solid hardwood and engineered hardwood are great flooring options, determining which material is best for you is completely dependent on your lifestyle.

Engineered hardwood can only be refinished a few times

Engineered hardwood is best known for its moisture-resistant properties. Its layered composition makes it more difficult for liquids to seep to the core and cause damage to surrounding planks. This is different from solid hardwood, which would suffer since it’s made completely of hardwood.

The problem with the layered composition of engineered wood is that you can only refinish it a few times. Engineered hardwood is topped with a hardwood veneer. The veneer is a piece of real hardwood—this is what gives the engineered plank such a realistic look. Unfortunately, though, the real wood veneer tends to be quite thin. Solid Hardwood vs Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood veneers are usually so thin that you can only refinish it about three or four times at most. The general rule of thumb is to have your flooring refinished about every five years or so. Thus, the lipespan of engineered hardwood flooring is shorter than that of real hardwood flooring.

As long as you properly maintain your engineered hardwood flooring, though, you should be fine.

Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished multiple times

One of the great things about solid hardwood flooring is that it can be sanded and refinished multiple times. Sure, it’s more susceptible to scratching than engineered wood, but the sanding and refinishing easily resolves the issue. If you start to notice blemishes adding up, you can just refinish your wood! That way, you can keep your hardwood flooring looking as good as new.

Despite its refinishing feature, hardwood flooring is still vulnerable to water absorption. Significant water damage can cause serious issues to a floor, like cupping and curling. Cupping and/or curling can make the floor uneven, and refinishing an uneven floor can be quite a difficult task

Make sure to protect your hardwood flooring from moisture!

Weighing your options

So, on one hand you have a flooring that’s able to withstand wear and tear quite well (engineered hardwood) and, on the other hand, you have a flooring material that can be refinished every time it experiences scratching.

Deciding which material is best for your home and lifestyle is up to you!

Regardless of which one you choose, you can rely on Floors BLVD to provide you with quality flooring options. Our experts can answer all of your flooring questions and helping you remodel your home to be the home of your dreams!

Contact us, visit our website—floorsblvd.com—to learn more about flooring and general home remodeling tips!