Are you considering hardwood flooring for your home?  Have you thought about engineered wood or hardwood flooring? Have you asked yourself, what is engineered wood?  At Carolina Flooring we want to take the mystery out of floor buying.  Here is some helpful information on engineered wood or hardwood flooring and what you should know about wood flooring in general:

What is engineered wood?
In the flooring industry, we think of engineered wood as wood that features a top layer of real wood that has been placed over other compressed layers of cheaper forms of plywood.  The top layer or veneer provides the look and feel of traditional hardwood flooring, and the construction method can mean the engineered wood flooring is stable and much less susceptible to changes humidity than traditional forms of solid wood.  This can be great if you are in an environment near the beach.

Engineered wood flooring has changed over time, and more varieties exist today than ever before.  You can find not only engineered wood flooring with plywood layers, but you can also find varieties that use various substrates.  When it comes to your home or office, engineered wood can be a great choice for kitchens and basements.

You may also find that more companies are offering self-locking or “connecting” engineered hardwood flooring.  This can make installation quite easy.    If you are thinking about engineered hardwood, and want to know the real differences in solid traditional wood flooring, then give us a call.  We’d be glad to help you make the best decision.

How does engineered wood compare to traditional wood?
When it comes to getting the true look and feel of wood flooring, it is hard to beat traditional wood flooring.  If you are considering hardwood flooring, you probably already know that it provides superior natural beauty and durability.

You’ll have a variety of options when it comes to traditional wood flooring, and each offer unique characteristics: oak, maple, and black walnut are great examples.  Each will have different color, texture, and granularity.   In addition to the wood used, you should consider the types of coatings and finish for your wood flooring.  If you are thinking about a DIY project, make sure you consult an expert before applying any coat or finish.  One advantage of traditional wood flooring that people often overlook, is that it can be refinished many times over its lifespan.

If you want more information about hardwood flooring, you should contact us, or download our Hardwood 101 guide.  Best of luck!