Hardwood Flooring Buying Guide
How to choose the best hardwood floors
for your home.
Hardwood Benefits
What is Engineered Hardwood Flooring?
Engineered hardwood flooring is constructed with a solid wood top layer and base layers made up of plywood or a wood substitute. The base layers are stacked in opposite directions and bonded together resulting in stronger, more stable planks than a solid hardwood floor.
- offer increased dimensional stability
- can be installed below grade level (e.g., basements), on grade level, and above grade level
- can be installed over radiant heat
- can be glued down directly to a concrete slab
- can be sanded and refinished
- are less likely to warp due to their moisture-resistance feature
What to Look for in Engineered Wood Floors?
Wear Layer Thickness
A 2mm wear layer allows you to sand and refinish your flooring at least once. A 3mm allows you to refinish it about 2.5 times. 4mm allows for 3.5 times. A 6mm allows you to refinish your flooring 5 to 6 times, which is about the same number of times you can refinish a solid hardwood floor.
Wood Species
Hardness Rating Chart
| Hickory | Acacia | Maple | White Oak | Red Oak | Walnut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1750 | 1450 | 1360 | 1290 | 1010 |
Quality Finishes
Most finishes fall into two main categories, oil or polyurethane. Oil finishes enhance the beauty and natural color of the wood. While they scratch more easily, they also hide scratches well and are easier to repair.
Engineered Hardwood Installation Methods
- Nail/Staple – Depending on the thickness of the floor nails or staples are used to fasten the wood to your subfloor.
- Glue – A strong adhesive is used to hold down your floors to a sub-floor.
- Floating – In this method, floors are not actually attached to a subfloor; they float above it. The planks are built to snap together making this method popular among DIYers. An underlayment pad should be placed between the subfloor and your hardwood flooring to eliminate noise and soak up moisture.