Flooring is very important for our house. It can either give a great look or embarrass us in front of our friends and family. Engineered timber flooring is one of the most luxurious floorings in the world. It is an alternative to hardwood flooring. In fact, engineered timber flooring is real wood but it’s a bit different from solid hardwood.
The difference between engineered and solid wood
The main difference between these two wood types is that engineered wood is made of solid wood with a plywood core. In contrast, solid wood doesn’t have such a core and is made of only a piece of wood.
There are some positive and negatives points about engineered timber flooring. Here, you are going to have a review of them. first, let’s talk about the advantages and then disadvantages.
Advantages of engineered timber flooring
Its advantages are awesome. Let’s review them here:
Reasonable price with a great look
If you are interested in exotic woods like Brazilian Walnut, don’t worry since engineered exotic flooring is cheaper than similar products like solid exotic woods. There is a charm to exotic woods that enchants people’s eyes.
Installation is not as stressful as other products
Engineered timber flooring is sometimes called floating floors because you don’t need to nail or glue them to the floor. Also, you don’t need to wait a few days and deal with workers, drying glue spots, and unfinished wood floors.
Easy to install without hiring experts
As we said before, you don’t need to attach the product to the subfloor. So, it will be cheaper and DIY-friendly to work with.
disadvantages of engineered timber flooring
here are negative aspects of engineered timber flooring:
Engineered timber flooring is more expensive
Engineered timber flooring is a bit more expensive than other types. So, many people spend less money to buy engineered timber flooring. As a result, you can find cheap but not a good quality engineered timber flooring. Some of these low-quality products have compounds such as formaldehyde and volatile organic compound that are a threat to your family’s health.
Refinishing is hard or sometimes impossible to do
Many people hope to refinish their floor after a while. However, if the thickness of the veneer layer is low, sanding will be impossible. If you do this, you are going to damage the core layer. Therefore, you have to take care of it very well!
Not a very good option for houses with kids and pets
Engineered timber flooring is natural. So, it is sensitive to scratches, dings, and dents. This is especially true when children and pets are running all around the house all day long. Also, heavy coaches and sofas have the potential to hurt the floor.
Less durability
This is also related to the thickness of the veneer layer. When the thickness is normal, you can’t refinish it more than two times. After that, you have to think of a new installation. So, engineered timber flooring is not as durable as other products.
Be careful with water! it’s not waterproof!
the product is natural, right? So, it often bends after long exposure to water. damaged roof and old plumbing system in your house can intensify the problem. Using engineered timber flooring in humid areas is a wiser decision since it is more resistant to humidity.
Summary
Here we presented some information about engineered timber flooring. So, if you are looking for installing it, think carefully, and consider all the pros and cons associated with it.
