Contractors are installing more engineered hardwood floors in homes than ever before, and the facts continue to prove that for those looking for a floor with real character, an engineered wood floor can be a viable alternative to a solid wood floor in certain situations. 

Wood is a timeless building material, and it has been used for centuries for almost any structural purpose you can think of. So when it comes to floors, why are more and more contractors installing engineered wood?

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of choosing engineered wood over solid hardwood which might explain the rise in popularity of engineered hardwood floors in recent years. Here are just a few of the benefits for homeowners and installers alike:

• • More durability – Engineered wood floors are gaining popularity since more and more homeowners realize that the beauty of the solid wooden floor is not as durable as their engineered counterparts. Engineered wood floors are made up of layers. The top layer of a prefinished engineered floor is a natural wood veneer which oftentimes is UV-cured. This makes the top layer stronger and more durable than solid hardwood floors. Because of this treatment plus the multiple layers of plywood or fiberboard underneath, engineered wood flooring is much more resistant to dents, scratches, and dings, even in heavy traffic areas.

• • Added stability – Because they’re naturally much more resistant to moisture than solid wood floors, engineered wood offers a bit more stability in the face of humidity changes in the space. Engineered wood is comprised of several individual layers of wood that are glued together. This means that the layers move together and not independently, which means that your floor won’t suffer as much from major fluctuations in humidity. This gives you the stability you need in the face of weather changes over time, keeping the floor stable even as the seasons change and humidity fluctuates. For wide plank floors, this feature is especially crucial, as the overall stability of wood planks decreases as the planks increase in width. Because of its stability, you can also install engineered wood in below-grade environments such as basements and other places where a solid wood floor install would be likely to fail.

• • More options – With engineered wood floors, you can offer more options to your clients in terms of exotic species and unique colors because, for example, exotic species wouldn’t do so well in certain environments if they are installed solid wood planks.  Engineered wood gives you more variety in your offerings, and lets you go beyond what is typically available with domestic, solid wood planks. This means you can install an exotic species almost anywhere when working with engineered wood floors, something solid wood can’t do because extreme temperatures or humidity could ruin the wood.

• • Lower maintenance – Engineered flooring can be less labor-intensive to install, while offering a variety of lengths, widths, and thicknesses to meet virtually any design need due to their internal stability.  Because of the UV-cured wear layer on top, they also typically require less maintenance to avoid scratches in the finish, leaving less work for the homeowners. Additionally, most engineered wood manufacturers offer warranties that cover either extreme wear-and-tear or structural failure.
    
  • Homeowners doing their research: Homeowners are increasingly doing more research on their own and becoming more educated about their options with all aspects of interior design, including hardwood floors, rather than having their contractor choose the floors. This is not only being influenced by the ease of access to information online, but also by the rise of do-it-yourselfers. This trend is leading to engineered wood floors becoming much more popular, as they are seen as value-for-money floors that don’t require as much maintenance.

These are just some of the reasons why engineered wood floors are gaining popularity compared to their solid wood counterparts. It’s wise to consider offering them as an option to your customers if you aren’t already. If you have any questions or would like to browse our selection of engineered wide plank floors, click here or call us at (800) 737-1786.