Asking the Right Questions About Engineered Hardwood Flooring

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Asking the Right Questions About Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Asking the Right Questions About Engineered Hardwood Flooring

19 April 2016
 Categories:
, Blog


Wood floors have a timeless and classic look and they work well with just about any type of home décor and design. However, they're also very expensive! A good choice for those who want the look and feel of hardwood but not the price tag is engineered hardwood flooring; this refers to wood planks with an underside made of inexpensive plywood or another material, with a veneer or thin top layer of another type of wood. The top layer may be cherry, mahogany, or a variety that would otherwise be very expensive as an entire plank. If you're thinking of choosing engineered hardwood flooring for your home, note a few questions to ask a contractor before work begins.

1. Always ask about the weight

Wood floors can be very heavy, especially if you opt for a certain species of wood that is very dense. Even though engineered flooring has a layer of plywood or other such choices for the underside which are usually lightweight, you still want to ask your contractor or a flooring manufacturer about its overall weight. Your home's subfloor may need added bracing to support this weight; if your home was constructed with only carpeting in mind as the floor covering, it may not be able to support the weight even of engineered hardwood floors, so always ask about this and note whether you should brace up the subfloor.

2. Ask if the type you choose can be direct glued

Direct glued refers to a type of installation of wood floor planks where a layer of glue or adhesive is applied to the subfloor and the planks are set down on top of this. If this is the type of installation you're choosing, be sure you ask about planks that can be direct glued. Not all materials used for the underside of the engineered hardwood floor can adhere to the glue used for flooring, and you don't want to assume that you can buy the cheapest engineered hardwood or just any style and use it with direct gluing.

3. Note how often you can sand down the hardwood

Because the topside of an engineered hardwood floor is just a thin layer of a certain variety of wood, it may not be able to be sanded down as often as solid planks. Be sure you ask about this so you aren't planning on sanding and staining or treating your floors too often, lest they become overly thin and the underside of the planks begins to show.

About Me
Frankie's Flooring Blog: Tips for Business and Homeowners

Welcome to my flooring blog. My name is Frankie, and I love everything related to decorating homes. I love buying furniture, choosing throw pillows and accent pieces, and installing flooring and other durable elements. Compared to every other element in a room, the flooring has one of the largest impacts. It can brighten a space or make it feel dim and dark. It can make a place feel soft and inviting or cool and modern. It can add a clean look or sadly, make the whole room look dirty. If you want tips and ideas on flooring, I invite you to explore these posts, and I thank you for reading!

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