You’ve made the excellent decision to invest in your home by installing wooden flooring.
You already know that wooden flooring is a practical, stylish and timeless addition to your home.
But, the choices don’t end with choosing a wood floor the next big decision is whether to choose engineered wood flooring or solid wood flooring.
This article will help you to make that choice.
What are the Differences Between Solid vs Engineered Wood Flooring?
Appearance
Modern engineered wood flooring, including all of the brands that we sell at Wooden Floors UK, is of such high quality that the differences in appearance are negligible or non-existent. The top ⅓ of engineered wooden flooring is solid wood, so the only part of the floor that you see once it has been installed is, for all intents and purposes, solid wood.
At Wooden Floors UK we also stock a vast array of
engineered wood species, and finishes so the lack of choice when it comes to the specific aesthetic of an engineered wooden floor, often cited as a drawback to engineered wooden floors vs solid wood is likely to not be an issue either.
Cost
The cost of your wooden floor will depend upon more factors than simply whether you are choosing engineered wood or solid wood flooring. The area that the wooden flooring will be covering will make the biggest difference to cost. But, other factors such as choice of species, finish and thickness will have an impact too.
Generally speaking, engineered wood is cheaper than solid wood. But, due to the longevity of a solid wood floor (see the next section) it could be argued that solid wood is more cost-effective in the long (or very long) term.
Floor Lifespan
Both engineered wooden floors and solid wood floors are extremely durable and long-lasting. Both can be sanded and re-finished to extend their life and prolong their aesthetic value. However, depending on the thickness of the solid wood in your engineered wood flooring the number of times engineered wood can be sanded and re-finished will vary.
Solid wood can be sanded down and refinished many times leading to the lifespan of a solid wood floor. Our Junckers Solid Wood floors come with a 25-year guarantee when installed by Approved Installers, and can often reach and surpass the 100-year mark if looked after as per the manufacturer's maintenance scheme. - as many of the ancient homes around the country and the world demonstrate - the famous 17th-century wooden floor at Versailles for example.
An engineered wooden floor is expected to last up to 30-40 years or longer depending on use.
Floor Comfort and Sound
Many people attest to the added comfort of the slight give or bounce that engineered wooden floors have, especially when installed as a ‘floating’ floor.
When installed as a floating floor engineered wood can also be laid over soundproof underlay substantially reducing noise.
However, solid wood is still a softer floor compared to some flooring options such as tiles and the natural properties of solid wood absorb the sound vibrations and distribute them evenly over the surface.
Water and Heat
Neither solid wood nor engineered wooden flooring will like wet conditions and will likely warp and sustain damage from excessively wet or humid conditions.
However, engineered wooden flooring is likely to cope better with changes in temperature as well as moisture in the environment. This is why engineered wooden flooring is commonly recommended for homes with underfloor heating installed.
Care and Cleaning
Both wooden flooring and engineered wood flooring require similar care and maintenance. Regular sweeping to remove dust and debris that could scratch the floor is recommended. Additionally, cleaning up spills is required to help avoid warping or staining.
Mopping with a suitable wood floor mop and a recommended wooden floor cleaner is the best way to keep both wooden floors and engineered wood floors clean and well-maintained. Using harsh or abrasive cleaners will potentially scratch, discolour, or otherwise damage both kinds of flooring regardless of finish.
A deep clean using a recommended deep clean product is recommended every 6 months to a year depending on how hard the floor is used.
Finally, sanding a floor may be required after several years to keep it looking its best. Solid wood floors will tolerate this process more than engineered wood floors.
Durability
Both solid wood floors and engineered wood floors are extremely durable. This is in fact, one of the most common reasons people choose wooden floors.
There aren’t many other types of flooring material, if any, that will quite literally last a lifetime.
As long as they are well looked after they will in all likelihood, be the most durable floor you will ever have.
Installation
All our floors at Wooden Floors UK come with installation guides and should be carried out by qualified installers.
The ease of laying your floor will depend on the shape, size and subfloor. We always recommend having a professional lay your floor if you are in any doubt about your ability to do so yourself.
Sizes
When it comes to the sizes of planks of engineered or solid wood flooring there are some differences which could affect whether one or the other is the best choice for you.
If extra wide planks are what you are looking for, then engineered wood is going to be the option for you. This is because engineered wood planks come in widths from less than 149mm to extra wide at over 189mm.
Comparatively, solid wood planks come in widths from under 149mm to a maximum of 189mm
The thickness of planks varies between engineered and solid wood flooring too. Solid wood planks are generally thicker; between 14mm and 22mm. Engineered wood is slightly thinner at between 11.5mm and 20mm thick.
Home Resale Value
Due to the longevity and, in truth the power of the words ‘solid wood flooring’; solid wood floors will add more value to a home than engineered wood. This is despite the many other benefits of engineered wooden flooring.
However, both add value to your home and increase its saleability.
Environmental Friendliness
The eco-credentials of both solid hardwood and engineered wood floors depend largely on where you are sourcing your floor from. At Wooden Floors UK we ensure our flooring is from sustainable sources.
That being said, because the floors are wood, trees are harvested to make all of our flooring solutions.
For solid wood floors, more wood is required so more, slow growth, trees are used. For engineered wood, some slow-growth wood is used but the engineered wood is also made of more sustainable resources including recycled wood.
However, the resins and glues used to create the engineered portion of this type of flooring contains VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and are therefore non-biodegradable. Whereas, solid wood floors are completely recyclable and biodegradable.
The products used to finish your wood flooring whether solid wood or engineered wood also bear consideration when the environment is a top priority. Those that have fewer VOCs (volatile organic compounds) are typically better for the environment and better for you. At Wooden Floors UK all of our products meet the highest standards in this regard.
Solid vs Engineered Wood Flooring: Which is Best?
Both solid wood and engineered wood make an excellent flooring solution and in many respects are equal. There are several points though on which they differ including cost and plank width.
For more information and to browse our range of beautiful floors both engineered and solid wood, head to our retail site.
