How to Decide Between an Engineered Hardwood Floor and a Solid Hardwood Floor

If you're looking to purchase hardwood flooring then chances are you have come across two types of hardwood. The first is called engineered floor and the second is called solid floor. The two floors look 100% identical so to decide which floor will better suit your needs, you need to understand the difference between the two.



Engineered hardwood floor - This type of floor is also known as semi-solid floor because it is made from a three layer core of hardwood together with plywood or MDF and a top layer of hardwood veneer (the topmost layer of the engineered flooring) that is glued together. The engineering process gives the wood new properties which prevent it from shrinking or expending under certain temperature levels, therefore it is ideal for places where moisture or heat could pose problems.



Solid hardwood floor - This type of floor is also known as real hardwood floor because unlike engineered floor it is made from 100% wood. It's 100% wood construction which is normally made from one piece of oak timber gives the floor stronger properties compared to engineered wood which makes it ideal for places where the home structure could benefit from extra stability. Another characteristic of solid hardwood flooring is its ability to react well to sanding and re-coating a process which could give the floor extra longevity.



Because both types of wood floors look and feel identical it is more a question of where it is placed. There isn't much difference in term of price, but as we mentioned before, solid floors will react well to re-coating making them last longer and giving you the option to change their appearance.