I have many clients who want the beauty of wood flooring in their home, but they are torn between what to pick – Solid Wood or Engineered? So, I thought I would take a minute to help you make a better decision.

Many clients come into our showroom thinking that engineered is a cheap alternative to solid wood floor and while that can be true for those who are looking to go cheap, there’s a lot more to Engineered Wood.

Engineered wood flooring is great for coastal homes.

Now, you can still find the cheap out there, but a quality engineered floor is better than solid in our part of the country, in a lot of cases. We live on the coast, that means moisture and humidity, especially for those very close to the water, moisture is not a friend to solid wood, especially the wider planks.

Not to get too technical about it, engineered wood flooring is resistant to the effects of moisture by the nature of it’s design. Thin slices of wood are layered together crossing the grain opposite of one another as it is assembled, the upper most layer, the “Wear Layer” is the species of wood that you will be walking on. By design, this cross layering resists expansion and contraction caused by humidity and moisture, making it a better choice for coastal areas or for those who have a concrete slab rather than a plywood subfloor.

The “wear layer” determines the quality of engineered wood flooring.

Engineered floors today have a wear layer that is as thin as .5 mm and up. A floor with a 4 mm wear layer can be sanded as many times as a solid wood floor if the desire should ever arise to have it refinished. Obviously, the price goes up as the thickness of the wear layer goes up, hence the varied levels of quality. If you want cheap, go to the liquidator showrooms. They will have what you are looking for. But if you want a quality engineered floor that would rival or better any solid, go armed with knowledge.

Don’t get me wrong, solid wood is a beautiful thing and it is the right choice for lots of clients, but not everyone. If you are not sure what would suit you best, see a flooring professional to discuss your wood flooring options. Come by our showroom anytime, we would love to educate you. We don’t sell anything but quality wood products. The crew at Troendle Hardwood Company are the Wood Professionals in NW Florida.