Hardwood floors are one of the most beautiful and enduring flooring options available for today’s homes. They create a timeless look that looks as elegant and attractive in an older home as it does in a contemporary home. However, it is also susceptible to moisture and wear and tear over the years, which means choosing hardwood also means choosing the maintenance that comes with it.

 

If you love the idea of hardwood flooring but are concerned about durability, engineered hardwood is a solution that may work well for your home. Engineered hardwood captures the beauty of hardwood but incorporates the durability of powerful engineered technology. In this post, our hardwood flooring installers at Brenner Floors in Minneapolis break down the differences between the two flooring solutions to help you make the best decision for your home.

 

Understanding the Difference

Before you decide whether engineered or traditional hardwood is right for your home, it’s important to understand the difference between the two products. On the surface, these two beautiful flooring solutions look pretty similar. Ultimately, it comes down to what’s inside that counts.

 

Solid hardwood floor planks are exactly what they sound like. Inside the plank is the natural wood product as it was cut from the original tree. Engineered wood, however, uses a wood veneer which is then layered over multiple layers of wood bonded with other products to create a powerful and durable flooring product.

 

Here are a few ways these products differ:

 

1.      Ease and timing of installation

Traditional hardwood flooring planks must be carefully installed as they can expand and contract. However, engineered hardwood is much more stable, which means it can be installed faster and is easier to install overall.

 

2.      Ability to be sanded and refinished

Natural wood flooring can be refinished or sanded many times. However, engineered wood can only be refinished once or twice.

 

3.      Long-term stability and longevity

Because it layers durable materials in between panels of plywood, engineered wood is less susceptible to moisture infiltration and other damage that can plague hardwood. This makes engineered wood an excellent flooring solution for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and high traffic spots. It also means your floor will be more resistant to spills and impacts.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Install Beautiful Twin Cities Solid Hardwood Flooring

If you’re ready for the classic appeal of hardwood in your home, our Minneapolis flooring installers are here to help. At Brenner Floors, we’ve been creating beautiful floors for Twin Cities homeowners for nearly a century.

 

From engineered birch plank in a rich coffee with hand-scraped semi-gloss to solid French Oak planks with distressed snakeskin markings, we can create anything you dream up. Visit our gallery online and then give us a call at 763-595-9151 or contact us for your free flooring estimate today.