When to Opt for Hardwood vs Engineered Hardwood Flooring

There are a lot of decisions that need to be made when choosing new floors for your home. If you have narrowed it down to hardwood the next logical decision will be to decide if solid wood or engineered flooring is for you. Although a solid hardwood floor outlasts any other type of flooring and can be refinished as often as needed choosing a pre-finished engineered hardwood floor may just be the ticket for you. Let's examine some of the pros and cons:

1) Immediate access to your new floor

Solid hardwood floors need to be installed and then finished on-site with a durable coating to withstand traffic and regular wear and tear. That means that you have to allow for coating drying time and the floors are not immediately accessible. Whereas, engineered hardwood floors are factory finished and ready to be used immediately. Floorboards that are finished on-site require time to dry. How long depends on what coating material is used. Sometimes, a homeowner may have to wait for days before furniture can be moved back into the room. And even though the floor may feel dry to the touch, it can still be vulnerable to scraping until the finish has fully cured. 

2) Prefinished floors have fewer VOCs to affect your family’s health.

You will be smelling and breathe in vapors from polyurethane resins and solvents for several days after applying an oil-based polyurethane. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been shown to be carcinogenic, and some waterborne polyurethanes produce them, too. When you buy prefinished floorboards the curing process takes place in a factory, not in your living room.

3) The installation of prefinished flooring is fast.

With factory-finished engineered hardwood flooring you can have your space back in no time at all. Whereas solid hardwood flooring takes time to complete the various stages of an on-site finishing job such as sanding, sealing, staining, applying polyurethane, and so on. A crew of two can have a 300-square-foot floor installed, with underlayment, in about two hours.

4) Factory-applied finishes are nearly flawless.

Not only is the finished product better than what homeowners or contractors can do on-site, but these factory-applied finishes are also incredibly durable and often come with a lifetime warranty. 

5) You know what the finished floor will look like

Probably a major factor why so many opt for engineered flooring. Engineered flooring is available in many wood species, finishes, and colors. Once you have decided on the look that looks great in your home you will know exactly what you will be getting.

Now let's examine some of the points in favor of unfinished solid wood flooring.

6) Lower cost vs longevity 

Engineered wood flooring is generally cheaper per sq ft, making solid wood a steeper initial investment when you factor in installation and finishing time. However, solid wood flooring can last a lifetime and can be refinished often.  Engineered hardwood will need to be replaced eventually. This means engineered vs solid is only cheaper in the short term. The added factor in the favor of the solid wood is that it has been proven to increase the value of a home and is highly though-after by home buyers.

7) Starting with unfinished flooring offers a greater choice of finishes.

There is no question that the site-finished route opens up a greater variety of choices with respect to the pattern, wood, color, and hue. Prefinished products, however, come in more species and stains than ever before.

8) Unlike prefinished floorboards, unfinished boards have no bevels.

Prefinished floorboards usually have micro-bevels on all edges. These bevels hide slight discrepancies between board depths and widths. Some homeowners will prefer the flush look of site-sanded floors, as they feature no such grooves and can be finished to a mirror-like surface. 

9) Longevity and Unequalled Look of Natural Woods.

200+-year-old homes to this day have solid hardwood flooring speaking to their longevity. You would be hardpressed to find an engineered hardwood floor in homes older than 20 years. With the expertise of a hardwood flooring refinishing specialist this type of floor can be restored to almost their former self as often as needed.  As for more serious damages to the flooring, boards can be replaced and matched to the rest of the floor.  At most, engineered hardwood flooring can only be lightly sanded once and refinished once.  This will only remove light surface scratches.

What’s your preference?