Engineered wood flooring has many advantages. It replicates the rustic appeal of hardwood but boasts a more durable construction that makes it a cost-effective alternative. It’s easy to clean, can be installed in just about any space and comes in a variety of breath-taking shades and styles.
Interested in overhauling your interiors with a new floor? Engineered wood flooring is the way to go. While installation is generally easier with engineered wood planks and panels, you can make life easier for yourself by following some basic installation guidelines. To help you on your way, we’ve put together some handy tips to streamline the process.
Tips When Installing Wood Flooring
Before You Install
If you’re overhauling an interior, make sure you attend to all those decorating tasks first. While engineered wood flooring is incredibly durable, you want to minimise exposure to paint and solvents. If you’ve installed a hardwood floor before, you’ll know you must leave your flooring materials to acclimate to the space for several days. With engineered wood, this acclimatisation is much shorter, making it a practical option for those working on a tight timeline.
However, you’ll still need to maintain consistent temperatures and humidity levels in your spaces. This ensures your long plank wood flooring or panels remain largely unchanged before installation. Take the time to measure your room accurately, leaving sufficient expansion gaps.
Installing Your Flooring
During installation, the ambient temperature of a room should be consistent. Ideally, you’ll want to aim for around 18 degrees Celsius. What’s more, indoor humidity levels should remain within the 40-60% range.
You’ll need to think carefully when installing flooring doorways and archways. Expansion gaps should be slightly larger here. If you’re fitting flooring around fireplaces and pipework, also need to consider expansion gaps.
Take some time to study the tonal differences between panels. While most will be almost identical, it’s natural for a wooden floor to have some variety. For a stunning finish, it’s best to distribute tonal variety as naturally as possible.
While engineered wood is incredibly durable, take care of it when removing planks and panels from packaging. Inspect boards for any defects or signs of damage. If there are any issues, separate these boards from the rest and exchange them. Installing them is only going to lead to issues down the line.
Installation Methods
As with normal flooring, there are a few different installation methods when dealing with engineered wood.
- Bonding panels directly to the floor is something to consider, but you’ll have to work quickly to apply boards.
- With nail-down installation, you can also attach engineered wood flooring to a subfloor or existing floorboards.
- However, for maximum convenience, tongue and groove installation is the way to go.
Finishing Touches
Sometimes, you’ll need to install things like thresholds and reducer mouldings for a seamless finish. Reducer strips are essential if you’re transitioning from one type of flooring to another, such as an engineered floor to a carpeted surface. If you can’t find floor transitions made from engineered wood, standard wood can be used. However, it will need to be stained to match the tone of your engineered wood panels.
What About After Installation?
Unlike hardwood, you won’t need to add a surface treatment to engineered wood flooring. If you still need to perform decorating tasks or paint walls and ceilings, keep your flooring covered until all these tasks are completed.
Your room should remain ventilated throughout the entire installation. It’s important to keep your room ventilated, even after the boards are in place. This prevents moisture from taking hold and loosening boards.
How to Clean Engineered Wood Flooring
Engineered wood flooring is a low-maintenance option. If you clean it regularly and properly care for it, an engineered wood floor can last for decades. To keep your floor looking its absolute best, use a vacuum to get rid of surface dust and debris. Are you installing a floor in a space with a lot of foot traffic? While engineered wood will cope well in these environments, think about some protective floor coverings.
In entrances and hallways, gravel trays and welcome mats are a good idea. Avoid using anything with a rubber base as this can damage the surface of your flooring. When moving furniture and appliances, avoid dragging them across your flooring. Instead, lift and carry. It’s also worth adding floor projectors to the chair and table legs. If you’re introducing any bulky furniture to your space, think about placing it on top of a heavy-duty rug. You can also follow these wood floor care tips to help maintain their condition.
Why Choose Engineered Wood Flooring?
If you’re tired of constantly restoring and repairing hardwood flooring, it’s time to switch to engineered wood flooring. Easy to maintain and just as durable as hardwood, this innovative material is the perfect choice for any home or commercial space. Engineered wood panels with a thicker veneer can even be resurfaced from time to time. Thanks to its versatility, it can also be used in more spaces than standard wood. If you want to add the aesthetics of a rustic floor to a kitchen or bathroom, engineered wood is a good choice.
What are the different types of wood flooring available? At Wood Flooring Ireland, you’ll find a huge range of eye-catching designs to choose from. Keep things contemporary with long planks, or introduce more traditional parquetry to your interiors with chevron flooring or herringbone flooring. Ready to explore the full range for yourself? Why not visit our Cork showroom today? Alternatively, use the online contact form to send us a message or call the team on 021 4629913.