What is the difference between engineered and solid wood flooring?

So you’ve decided on hardwood floors for your home. Congratulations! But now, there is a choice you have to make. Should the hardwood be solid or engineered? Let’s look at the differences.



Solid or engineered?

There are two types of hardwood floors to choose from when installing them in your home. The first is solid hardwood. This is a real piece of wood that has the same thickness throughout. With solid hardwood, you have a stain coloring in a wide selection. It is a traditional installation process, with sanding, sealing, staining, and finishing all happening at your house's site. 



Engineered wood is the same type of wood: oak, maple, or cherry, but the top layer is the desired species. So you have knots, whorls, grains, and swirls in the flooring. There is no visible difference, surface-wise, between solid and engineered. However, the under piece is solid wood with a little bit of resin in a crosswise pattern, so it interlocks with the others. These engineered floors can be installed in higher-than-normal moisture rooms because the underlying pieces are sealed, whereas it wouldn’t be as advisable for the solid hardwood floor in the same room. The engineered can be repeatedly refinished, and it still adds value to your property, as does the solid installation. The installation for engineered is shorter, saving time. 



The most enjoyable part of hardwood is the type of wood flooring that you choose. The most popular ones are oak, cherry, maple, hickory, and walnut. What's fascinating about these types of wood is that each has its grain patterns in the wood, which give it a specific look and feel. For example, oak has a straight grain, as does walnut. In comparison, cherry and maple tend to have burls in the grain. 



Whatever you choose, we can do it

At Abbey Carpet & Floor at Patricia’s, we pride ourselves on our work. We have professional installers who know their craft and do it well and to your satisfaction. Our store is in Cape Coral, FL, and we serve Cape Coral, Cypress Lake, Fort Myers, Iona, North Fort Myers, Sanibel, Bonita Springs, and Estero, FL. 

Call us at your earliest convenience to see hardwood in Cape Coral. Our knowledgeable staff is here to assist you in any project you have in mind for your home floors. Let us be your hardwood flooring store.