Engineered Hardwood Floors | Pittsburgh

ENGINEERED HARDWOOD

HARDWOOD VS ENGINEERED

Asia Carpet and Decorating offers engineered wood floors from leading manufactures. This short video from Shaw does a nice job explaining how solid hardwood compares to engineered hardwood. You'll learn the strengths of each type of flooring so you'll be prepared to make the best choice for your home.

Engineered hardwood core is made up of multiple layers of wood stacked in a cross-grain configuration which minimizes expanding and shrinking. Engineered hardwood provides an advantage over solid hardwood because of the ability to install in multiple areas of the home.

ENGINEERED ADVANTAGES

Solid hardwood floors are made from solid wood that’s about 3/4 of an inch thick. Because it’s so thick it can be sanded down and refinished for however long the flooring is in the house. The main problem with solid hardwood is that it shrinks and expands depending on the humidity in your home. Hardwood floors, when installed, need to have the right amount of space for natural expansion and contraction. If the boards too tight your floor will buckle or too loose the gaps between the boards will get too wide in the winter.

Engineered hardwood flooring is made from layers of wood, bonded together with adhesives under intense heat and pressure. Because of this process, engineered hardwood flooring isn’t affected by humidity as much as hardwood. It doesn’t shrink or expand, which makes it resistant to warping and cupping. And for that same reason it’s considered very strong and stable.

Unlike solid hardwood, engineered hardwood can go over concrete or sometimes even in a basement. However, we have better options for basements with possible water issues.