Engineered Wood vs. Hardwood Flooring

[JasonTheArtist]

Nice little article about engineered wood vs. Hardwood Flooring. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/574877 Thoughts?

 

[Irvinecommuter]

Nice little article about engineered wood vs. Hardwood Flooring. http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/574877 Thoughts?

Like many things nowadays, the synthetic stuff is better than the natural stuff.  Stronger, more durable, cheaper to install, and easier to fix/take care of.  Not to mention, better for the environment.

Unless you are a big lover of wood grain, I don't really see why one would use natural wood anymore.

 

[broda]

Even if you are a lover wood grain, they make engineered wood with the same look.  Hand scraped and everything.  The only thing i don't like about engineered is because it's a locking system it still a floating floor and not glued.  So if you don't put the floor on a solid surface like cement and you try to put it upstairs you'll have a tendency to get a lot more creaking.  Some people don't care about that, but it's a minor nuisance that annoys me.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I believe there is still some engineered wood product that you can glue down.

 

[broda]

I believe there is still some engineered wood product that you can glue down.

then it starts to cost as much as real wood :-\

 

[irvinehomeowner]

I believe there is still some engineered wood product that you can glue down.

then it starts to cost as much as real wood :-\

But with more sustainability and moisture protection (if I read the article correctly).

 

[broda]

very true...the kids can have at it without my crying :'(

 

[usctrojancpa]

Real hardwood floor needs to be nailed down to the sub floor.  Most newer construction homes have concrete sub floors downstairs and lite concrete floors upstairs.  You need to have plywood floors in order to nail down the real hardwood floor.  Real hardwood floor is thicker than engineered wood floor by like 3/8".

 

[jayl23]

When I had my engineered wood floor installed downstairs, the contractor used a compound that is both adhesive and moisture barrier (made by Bostik if I remember correctly)
http://www.woodsthebest.com/Flooring/Flooring_IntallEng2.htm

 

[irvinehomeowner]

On the floating vs. glue down, isn't floating quieter/softer because of the padding?

 

[usctrojancpa]

When I had my engineered wood floor installed downstairs, the contractor used a compound that is both adhesive and moisture barrier (made by Bostik if I remember correctly)
http://www.woodsthebest.com/Flooring/Flooring_IntallEng2.htm

Yup, Bostik is the best adhesive for glue down engineered wood flooring.  The stuff turns into rubber when it dries.