What is engineered wood flooring?

Posted by Belle on August 20th, 2019

What is Engineered Wood Flooring?

Engineered wood flooring is becoming an increasingly popular flooring choice for houses nowadays, with its main advantage being that it has the appearance and feel of real solid wood, whilst being constructed in a way that it can be installed much quicker and easier.

The engineered wooden floor panels are made up of three different layers. At the bottom there is a layer of wood to provide a strong, even base for the panel. In the middle a layer of softwood or a multi-ply section is applied at a 90 degree angle for further strength and support. Multi-ply centres contain numerous layers of plywood which provides optimal strength to the floorboards. The use of a softwood layer still increases the durability of the wooden panels but is achieved at a reduced price. The top is made of real solid wood as to maintain the natural appearance of real wood flooring. Normally, higher quality engineered wood floorings will have a thicker top layer and a multi-ply centre.

The layered construction of this type of flooring means it is unlikely to shrink or change shape as a result of humidity increases or temperature change, which often happens with solid wood flooring. However as real wood is still used in the product, it is recommended to keep the flooring panels in the environment in which it will be installed for at least a week before installation. This gives the natural materials time to acclimatise to the area.

At the sides of the panels there is a click join which is used to attach the numerous panels together. This is used instead of glue or nails, therefore making the installation process much simpler and quicker, enough so that people can install it themselves. These types of floorings are designed to be installed onto subfloor, whereas only more specifically made engineered wood floorings can be installed straight onto joists.

Engineered wood flooring is available in a variety of styles so that you can get the flooring you are looking for, suitable for many different rooms and buildings. The key aspects to consider are the type of wood and its grain, the wood finishing and the panel sizes.

As this type of flooring is durable, it can be used in almost any room from living rooms and kitchens, to bedrooms and conservatories. It is not advisable to install engineered wood flooring in bathrooms or other rooms which get humid or there is an increased chance of water leaks.