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Engineered Flooring Makes Wood Floors Available
By Arthur Sneddon

In certain environments, wood floors are not advisable due to humidity or other factors and until the advent of engineered flooring there was no alternative. With natural wood, humid conditions or in buildings with heavy moisture content such as summer cottages would usually cause damage to the floor and installers were reluctant to put them down.

Similar to laminate flooring, engineered flooring has a top layer of real hardwood of popular species and colors. It provides the color, cut, finish and texture of real hardwood without the dangers of environmental exposure. The core layer is made of fiberboard, either high or medium density, and it is these two layers that allow engineered flooring to expand and contract with the weather conditions and prevent it being damaged.

The price of engineered flooring is also considerably less than solid hardwood and by either using the glue down style or an interlocking floating style of engineered flooring installation can be quick and easy and done by many homeowners. It makes a great do-it-yourself project and with a little knowledge of how to use a few hand tools, a typical room can usually be completed in less than a day.

Installation Options Vary By Product

Wood engineered flooring can be installed by glue less interlocking pieces, glued down or nailed to the sub floor. Since many of the engineered flooring products are purchased to be put over a concrete floor, nailing will not be an option and by using an appropriate vapor barrier under the engineered flooring typically the do-it-yourself homeowner will opt for an interlocking floating floor. Some products do not come with a foam sub floor and one may be desired to help with noise.

While engineered flooring may have the appearance of a solid hardwood floor, it is easier to maintain and while some may be sanded and refinished, their surface veneer will usually only allow for one or two sandings not exceeding one-thirty-seconds of an inch at a time. For damaged areas most homeowners will simply have the planks replaced by a professional service.

The number of layers in your choice of engineered flooring will determine the floor's stability. Some of the cheaper brands will have the surface layer and one or two core layers while some of the higher quality engineered flooring will have five or even seven core layers to help prevent warping or cupping on the floor.

Author Details:
Arthur Sneddon, writes for a selection of web sites about home improvement, and related subjects such as flooring.

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