Engineered Oak Flooring
Until more recently, if a house was described as having oak flooring, it would be assumed that solid oak planks were used. Today, we have what is known as engineered oak flooring and so the term “wood flooring” requires more explanation.
Solid oak flooring planks are milled from a single length of timber and are 
one piece of wood, top to bottom. However, wooden flooring can also be constructed by pressing together two or more thin strips of wood. From this process we get engineered wood.
Worldwide, engineered wood surpassed solid planks as the most common type of wood flooring and though that is not yet the case here in the United States it is simply a matter of time. If one can move past the aura surrounding the concept of solid wood as opposed to something man-made, engineered wood has some distinct advantages.
The first thing to note is that engineered oak flooring is not laminate, vinyl or veneer. It is composed of layers of real wood pressed together with the grains running in different directions, which creates a more stable foundation than solid wood flooring. The top layer of oak, or whatever species being used, is referred to as the lamella and is the part that is visible.
Engineered wood, due to the layering of strips with the grains running in different directions, is not susceptible to the changes in temperature or humidity like solid planks are. This means that there are no restrictions as to where it can be installed, including sub-grade, basement levels as long as there is no risk of flooding. In addition, there are not the limitations on plank width that is found with solid hardwood flooring.
Solid wood planks must be nailed to a sub-floor but, depending upon the thickness of the material used, there are other options available for the installation of engineered wood flooring. One of the more popular methods is the floating floor which does not require nails or glues and can be purchased from many retailers in what is basically a kit for do-it-yourself installation.
Sellers of engineered wood products will continue to sing the praises and extol the advantages of what they claim is a superior flooring choice. Purists who believe that you can not improve on Mother Nature will point out that engineered wood floors do not have a lot of history that can be used to judge their true durability and lasting power. Definitely there are no 100 to 200 year old examples of engineered wood to compare to the many beautiful solid oak floors of that age found all over the world. In the end, as in most things, it comes down to your personal choice.
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Tagged With engineered oak flooring, engineered wood flooring, floating floor, laminate, veneer
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One Response to “Engineered Oak Flooring”
Is this type of flooring expensive?