What is Engineered Hardwood Flooring?
I will be honest, when I first started at LL Flooring, I had no idea what an engineered floor was. At first I thought it was a laminate. But it’s not! The two are very different. And thank goodness for our fantastic training and education at LL which put me straight!
I will discuss laminates another day, but today, we’ll concentrate on what I learned about engineered flooring...
Engineered hardwood is constructed using a layer of real wood called a veneer. The veneers are made from a wide selection of wood species, which are sometimes stained and then finished in the final product with a polyurethane wear layer.
Is this wear layer tough? With warranties up to 100 years you bet they are.
The top veneer can ranging in thickness up to 1/4", depending on the manufacturer. But it is REAL HARDWOOD and shows all the variation and colors of solid wood flooring.
The veneer of real wood is adhered to a core.
The core of engineered hardwood flooring can be made from different materials (Plycore shown):
1) Plycore: as the name suggests this is the same as plywood.
Multiple layers of wood are adhered together to form a stable core. The number of layers and thickness can vary.
2) Ladderback or Lumber core: Using strips of lumber glued together in a frame of lumber, forming a stable core.
3) Stone Polymer Composite: Now we are getting technical. Formed used stone and vinyl the core is very stable and can add water resistance to the product’s features.
4) MDF: Medium Density Fiber Board. Our high grade MDF is made from real wood fibers are fused together using a binder, plus high pressure and temperature to form a dense stable core.
Boards are created with tongues and grooves or click profiles which allows for different installation methods.
By design, engineered hardwood is less susceptible to the effects of moisture and temperature fluctuations. Therefore, engineered hardwood is referred to as being dimensionally stable. Solid hardwood is naturally not as dimensional stable and environmental conditions need to be maintained to avoid seasonal gapping and other moisture related effects. The stability of engineered hardwood allows it to be installed on, above, or below grade and is less prone to seasonal gapping. However in both cases extremes in relative humidity and temperature can damage the floor.
The stability also allows for trend forward wide, yes 5, 7 or more inches.
A moisture barrier or an adhesive with moisture mitigating properties over concrete is always recommended.
Engineered hardwood flooring can be, nailed down, glued down, nail-with-glue-assist, or floated using edge glue method or
simply clicked together.
Remember:
Engineered hardwood is natural and as the floor ages, oxidation and light can change the color (or patina) of the floor. This natural process can cause some exotic species, like Brazilian Cherry, to develop richer, darker colors, and domestic species like Red Oak to develop lighter highlights that bring out more character in the floor
It’s “worth the wait to acclimate” – especially for hardwood. Acclimation ensures a well-performing floor if ambient conditions are maintained at manufacturer approved levels.
-Flooring Expert, LL Flooring Tech & Install Team
Contact the LL Customer Care Team at 844-455-3566
customercare@lumberliquidators.com
Or find the closest store and visit us!
Here's a quick video. With additional looks to understand the great advantages of engineered hardwood flooring.
Rich, yet lively browns with wide planks
bring the feeling of untouched nature inside.