Solid wood flooring or engineered wood flooring?

Picking the flooring type in the case of interior decorations can prove to be difficult, because there aren’t so many options. Most people that love the elegant and classic style will go for wood flooring. When we chose the wood flooring type for our home, there are several factors that should be taken into account, like the house’s architecture, the style in which it is furnished, and the personality of each of us.

A person that appreciates the classic, antique style will choose the solid wood flooring, while others will opt for the engineered wood flooring. Both wood flooring types have advantages and disadvantages, making the best choice depending on what we wish to get from the space in which it will be installed.

Massive or solid wood flooring brings extra warmth in the spaces where it is installed, it is timeless and it is made out of several wood essences (solid wood flooring made out of oak, or beech), so that it can be installed in a variety of structures and patterns, which reflect the personality of every person.

Solid wood flooring has a very large life span, it is tough, and protected against wear and tear. Besides its durability, this type of wood flooring has a high resistance to abrasion, as well as high hardness and elasticity. Solid wood flooring is a good thermic isolator, this bottom covering being warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It can be polished several times, each time looking as brand new. We can even change its color, whenever we want, to match the painting on the walls.

Solid wood flooring has also a few disadvantages, these being: the installation time for solid wood floorings is quite large, polishing and finishing it takes a lot of time as well, it can get scratched easily and its maintenance can be quite costly. But, at the same time, it is appreciated for its accessible price and for the fact that it is a classic and elegant bottom covering.

Engineered wood flooring is a very resistant product, made out of several layers of natural wood. The most spread and used is the triple-layered wood flooring. It has a superior layer, a middle layer and an inferior layer. The base layer can be made out of any wood essence, traditional or exotic. The life span of triple-layered wood flooring is of at least 25 years.

The triple-layered wood flooring can be varnished, polished or replaced very easily. It is resistant to scratches and UVs, it has an easy maintenance and it is economic. Also, triple-layered wood flooring is a good thermic and phonic insulator, but its insulating power is smaller than the one of the solid wood flooring. It has a good stability at dilatation and deforming processes. A special feature held by the triple-layered wood flooring, in comparison with solid wood flooring, is that it can be used with floor heating systems.

The installation of such wood flooring type is done very easy, through a click system. Due to its thickness and stability, engineered wood flooring can be installed on any support.

The bottom line is that both types of wood floorings, solid wood flooring and engineered wood flooring, have advantages and disadvantages. When we choose one or another, it is important to have in mind the characteristics of the room where the wood flooring will be installed, together with considering our style. Both the solid wood flooring and engineered wood flooring entwine functionality and quality, and are dedicated to persons that wish to create a warm environment.