by admin on June 23, 2010
Engineered flooring is one of the best ways to put quality flooring into your home. Engineered hardwood flooring is “real” hardwood, made from 100% hardwood, but because of the way it is constructed, it is a perfect option for concrete subfloors or floors that are below grade. However, as more homeowners become educated about engineered hardwood flooring, it is gaining momentum in all other applications for the home.
Engineered flooring has a unique advantage in that it is very dimensionally stable. The reason engineered flooring is dimensionally stable is because of its multilayer construction. With engineered flooring there are typically a minimum of three layers of wood that make up the board. Higher quality engineered flooring products will have a minimum of five layers. Each layer in an engineered flooring product runs in an opposing direction from the previous layer.
Since each layer in engineered flooring runs in an opposing direction the board or plank can not expand and contract against itself. Since hardwood traditionally expands and contracts which causes buckling and warping, engineered flooring is a wonderful option for the homeowner to avoid such situations.
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by admin on June 23, 2010
Trying to understand the differences between hardwood and laminate flooring can be very confusing. Simply Floored would like to help you decide which product is best for you and, more importantly, your home.
First, you need to understand the different types of hardwood available. Solid hardwood floors have been around for a long time. They are generally ¾” thick and can be purchased raw or pre-finished. Because each plank is made from a single piece of wood, it tends to be very expensive. In addition, solid wood floors expand and contract with changes in temperature. In summer, humidity causes hardwood to expand, causing the planks to buckle. In winter, as the moisture decreases, the floor planks contract, leaving gaps. The high levels of moisture are the primary reason that solid wood floors are not recommended in basements or over concrete.
The “other” type of hardwood, which is becoming more and more popular, is multi-layer, cross grain constructed hardwood. This product is sometimes referred to as “engineered” hardwood, a misleading name because it implies that the wood is not real. Some people even mistake engineered hardwood for laminate.
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