Did you know that there are two types of hardwood flooring? Most of us know about solid hardwood flooring, but another, engineered hardwood flooring is taking over a large share of the wood flooring industry. That is because it appeals to people who want both beauty and practicality.
Unlike solid, engineered hardwood is layered. Engineered wood floors are real wood floors that are manufactured using three to nine layers of different wood veneers. The sub layers, also known as “plys”, can be of the same species, or of different species. The grain of each layer runs in different directions, which makes it very stable. This means that the wood will expand and contract less than solid wood flooring during fluctuations in humidity and temperature. The top layer of engineered wood flooring consists of high-quality wood with all the knots, grains, swirls, and undertones. While this type of flooring can be sanded and finished, it cannot be done as many times as solid wood flooring. Engineered wood flooring can be installed above, on or below grade.