A guide to engineered flooring


Posted November 18, 2012 by sarahcoolen

Engineered flooring is becoming more and more popular these days and this is mainly because of the qualities and benefits that an engineered floor provides in comparison with natural hardwood flooring.

 
Engineered flooring is becoming more and more popular these days and this is mainly because of the qualities and benefits that an engineered floor provides in comparison with natural hardwood flooring. Two main reasons why many people choose it is because the friendly price and the resistance to moisture. Not to mention that there are several types of engineered flooring that can suit every home.

An Engineered floor is made out of 100% wood, although there are some differences in the construction of it. Unlike natural hardwood flooring, which is constructed entirely out of one piece of wood, engineered flooring is made out of various layers. Only the top layer is constructed from hardwood. There are many types of wood used for manufacturing engineered hardwood, such as teak, pine, bamboo and oak. Among them all, oak is the most used and it is by far the best solution.

The top layer of the engineered flooring allows the entire floor to have the same beauty and pleasant visual effect as natural hardwood flooring. The core layer is glued to the bottom of the top layer and consists of layers of replenished wood. In most cases, the layers consist of medium density or high density fibreboard or plywood. The number of layers depends on the manufacturer and provider, but most of them use three layers in the core. Adding more layers will increase durability to the engineered floor, one reason why some manufacturers started using five or even seven layers of wood in the core.

The main disadvantage of hardwood flooring is the changes suffered during extreme weather changes, when the floor can contract or expand. However, engineered flooring has the ability to expand and contract due to the core layer. This means environmental conditions will not affect this type of flooring and the engineered floor is suitable to install in a majority of areas, such as a basement. Furthermore, the engineered hardwood floor can be installed over a radiant heating system without possible damages, such as a buckle or a shrunken floor.

The major benefit of the engineered floor is that it can be installed as a floating floor. This means that the floor can be installed onto a surface, without using nails or glue. The floating floor allows everyone to have a free gap floor between the panels. But the installation is not quite so simple, as a vapour barrier must be placed between the surfaces of the floor. There is an interesting tongue and groove locking system that enables the engineered flooring planks to be locked together with a click system.

Such systems can be installed by any homeowner and the installation is done quickly. Even if you decide to move, you can take the hardwood planks apart and bring them in your new house. Not to mention that it makes replacing any damaged planks very easy. The result will be a durable floor, providing the same good looks even after years of use. In some conditions, the floor might need refinishing, but there are a lot of professionals that can do this task without too much trouble.

If your heart desires a renovation and you have your mind set on solid wood, you should take a closer look at engineered flooring http://www.justoakflooring.co.uk/engineered-wooden-flooring.html and see how affordable it is. You will be surprised at how fantastic an engineered floor http://www.justoakflooring.co.uk/wood-flooring-accessories.html will look in the end.
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Issued By Sarah Coolen
Website A guide to engineered flooring
Country United Kingdom
Categories Home
Tags engineered flooring , engineered floor
Last Updated November 18, 2012