Engineered wood vs. Real Hardwood floors?
Shazia
11 months ago
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cat_ky
11 months agochispa
11 months agoRelated Discussions
Large dog - real hardwood or engineered wood floor?
Comments (11)I think it comes down to the expectations you have for the appearance of the floor. Some people pay extra for hand scraped/beat up new floors. I paid less for new #1 common with knots, worm holes, and mineral streaks. If you want it to always look new, then what floorguy said, or tile would probably be best. If you don't mind a few dents and dings, then you need a finish that can be easily spot repaired. Examples of easily spot repaired finishes include oils, oil + varnish mixes, waxes, or wax + oil finishes. Straight oil (tung or boiled linseed oil) does not offer much surface protection. Oil + varnish offers reasonable surface protection (Waterlox). Waxed floors require periodic buffing. I don't know much about the wax/oil mixtures that come from Europe (OSMO Hardwax Oil). All of the oil-based finishes have the issue of more VOCS and slower dry/cure times than the water-based finishes. The only touch-up products I have seen for water-based finishes are the liquid acrylic mop on stuff. Search this forum for previous discussions about the product. Our 40 lb. indoor dog has scratched and dented our R&Q red oak floor in a few places, mostly from jumping up and down on the bed and her chair. It's not really that noticeable with all the grain. I will cover it up with another coat of Waterlox sometime down the road. Pigment-type stained floors are not easy to fix/match to undamaged areas. If you expect dings, then it is probably best to avoid stains. I don't have any experience with dyes as a colorant on floors or the repair issue. Finally, laminate floors do dent. Go to any retail store that has laminate and look at the floor from an angle to see the dents and display case "drag lines" in the plastic surface layer....See MoreHardwood vs. engineered wood floors
Comments (3)Unless things have changed in the last few yrs factory finished floors tend to have a higher resistance to abrasive wear than site finished floors. Aluminum Oxide can be applied at the factory under controlled conditions where site finished floors can't. The 'wearable' portion of the wood can sometimes be as much on an engineered floor than with solid hardwood. Lots has to do with 'design', stain and other factors. Some people just hate the beveled edges and other love them. Some houses with slabs or other conditions don't lend themselves to solid hardwood so engineered is the only choice...See MoreHardwood floor vs. engineered hardwood?
Comments (27)Choosing the right flooring type isn't enough for your living condition. You will have to consider the types of cut: flat sawn, rift and quarter sawn, quarter sawn or live sawn. Quarter sawn and rift & quarter sawn will be best choices, because expansion and contraction is along the thickness of the wood. You will need climate control all year round. 70 degrees at 40 % relative humidity is where you want to be throughout the year. The use of a humidifier/dehumidifier will be needed year round. Although, engineered flooring is more stable than solid. Using the wrong wood specie in your living condition can run the risk of de-laminating with engineered wood. If, the top veneer is more or less stable than it's core and backing. You will experience de-laminating in extreme humidity swings. Take in account of what the engineered flooring is constructed of: mdf or plywood. The width of the flooring will account for how much expansion and contracting also. 2 1/4" strips are the most stable. As you go wider, expect to see more wider seasonal gaps. Proper acclimating is critical, should be performed with a moisture meter. For 2 1/4" strip flooring , sub-floor and flooring moisture should be within 4%. For all other widths 2% moisture differentiation is allowed or should not be exceeded. Don't forget proper expansion gaps, which is the thickness of your flooring, example: 3/4" thick = 3/4" gap. Sub-floor type and condition will affect the performance of wood floors. All this needs to be considered for the proper and successful performance of your wood floors....See Morehardwood vs engineered hardwood vs vinyl?
Comments (9)Definitely choose wood. Vinyls are great, however, for resale value, wood is the absolute best ROI especially for the main living areas. You can choose an engineered or solid- whichever makes most sense. We are able to provide engineered HW that can be sanded and refinished just as many times as solid. If the wear and tear is something you are worried about, consider choose a floor that has a reclaimed look with a strong grain pattern and saw markings that can hide many of the scratches and discrepancies that will happen over time. If that specific design isn't your style, consider a light color floor. Oiled floors are a decent choice because fixing superficial scratches are relatively easy. Oaks are good because of their graining and if kept a light color- will be able to disguise many of the scratches. You can ALWAYS sand and refinish your floors a few years down the line if needed. Plus, when you go to sell and the floors have been lived on- they can be sanded and finished for the new buyer. A vinyl floor will need to be replaced. Hardwood is more expensive at the moment, but they actually end up paying for themselves years down the line with the proper care and maintenance. Or you can choose wood in the dining and great room and a tile in the kitchen. SJ McCarthy has a good recommendation for hickory and oak. Another option is Character Maple(make sure it is hard maple). If you really want to be bold- go for Brazilian Pecan. :)...See Morecpartist
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11 months agocharlie4129
11 months agochispa
11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoUptown Floors
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11 months agoCreative Cabinets
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11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoShazia
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