Engineered Wood vs Solid Wood Flooring: Which is Best?

Why choose engineered wood flooring over solid wood flooring? We get asked this a lot. Solid wood flooring has its benefits, but in an eco-conscious era, the advantages of engineered wood flooring are hard to dismiss.  We’ve noticed it is an increasingly popular flooring option for new builds but also makes the ideal choice if you’re looking to overhaul an existing interior. 

Throughout this article, you will learn why engineered wood flooring is the better choice for your new home, whether you are replacing your outdated tile, carpet or laminate flooring.  

So, Why Choose Engineered Wood Flooring Over Solid Wood Flooring?

We are in no way doubting solid wood flooring, but we know that engineered wood flooring is equally beautiful and even more robust. 

However, engineered wood flooring includes a premium veneer layer that’s bonded to an incredibly durable plywood core. This provides exceptional levels of stability while also making it a far more versatile alternative to traditional solid wood flooring. Not only that, engineered wood flooring can cope with extreme temperatures and humidity, dramatically freeing up your installation options. Provided you carry out occasional maintenance, an engineered wood floor will serve you well for decades, in some instances well over 30 years! 

10 Reasons to Choose Engineered Wood Over Solid Wood

Now, let’s explore the many reasons Engineered wood flooring is the better choice over conventional solid wood flooring:

1. Sustainably Produced

One of the main advantages of engineered wood flooring is that it relies far less on intensive harvesting of new wood. It’s the perfect choice of flooring material for eco-conscious consumers, with most engineered flooring products using only a fraction of the wood found in solid hardwood alternatives.  

Recycled Materials 

Engineered wood flooring boasts a multi-ply construction (3-ply and 5-ply). The inner core of engineered wood flooring planks and panels is made from durable plywood, which often comes from recycled sources. With only the external veneer being made from newly harvested material.  

Eco-friendly Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process of engineered wood flooring also uses far fewer chemicals than the production of solid wood flooring. Adhesives and finishing oils containing toxic chemicals aren’t commonly used, making it a better choice if you’re eager to maintain green credentials. With no harmful volatile organic compounds to worry about, it is the obvious choice if you’re looking to improve the indoor air quality of your home.  

2. More Durable Flooring Choice

Many people make the mistake of assuming that engineered wood flooring is an inferior product to timber and oak wood flooring. However, the unique construction of it makes it an incredibly stable choice.  

Due to its multiple layers, engineered wood flooring is very durable. Unlike solid hardwood flooring, it won’t warp when exposed to high or low temperatures. It also copes well when exposed to moisture. This trait makes it a good option for rooms exposed to regular humidity, like bathrooms, kitchens and those with underfloor heating, meaning you’re not limited to stone and tile flooring when resurfacing your interiors.  

3. Easy Installation 

If you’re asking yourself, ‘why choose engineered wood flooring?’ then easy installation may prove a deciding factor.  Solid wood flooring may score highly when it comes to natural aesthetics, but individual planks and panels tend to suffer from rough edges and inconsistent profiles. This requires additional preparation before your flooring material is ready to install. Engineered wood flooring tends to be more uniform, allowing for fuss-free installation.  

Unlike solid wood flooring, which requires carpentry nails and expensive adhesives, engineered wood flooring is often suitable for floating installation. Provided you have an underlay in place, installing this flooring type is a breeze.  

4. Minimal Waste

Engineered flooring products are far more uniform and reliable than solid wood alternatives. You won’t find yourself dealing with unusable panels. Solid hardwood flooring is certainly stylish, but even the most premium hardwoods are prone to aesthetic imperfections. In some instances, these imperfections can’t be sanded away, and large knots may render certain panels unusable.  

5. No Need to Apply Finishes

Like ours here at Wood Flooring Ireland, engineered wood flooring comes pre-finished and is enhanced with hard-wearing lacquers and natural oil finishes, saving you the hassle of having to treat the veneer layer yourself.  

Even the most robust solid hardwood flooring can become tarnished and scratched in transit, requiring you to sand and finish panels and planks before they’re ready to be installed. This can pile on additional costs to your flooring installation project and extend the completion times of your renovation projects.  

6. Easy to Maintain and Refinish

Although engineered flooring isn’t made completely from solid wood, the best products can be treated in much the same way. Provided you’ve purchased engineered wood flooring with a thick enough veneer, you can carry out occasional sanding, refinishing, and restaining over time.  

If you want the option of being able to sand and refinish your engineered wood flooring, take care when choosing products. It’s worth bearing in mind that any sanding job removes around 0.5mm of material every time. Choosing flooring with a veneer thickness of 2mm will provide you with plenty of flexibility when it comes to sanding and refinishing.  A thicker veneer will also ensure you have a more robust floor. The thicker the veneer, the more resilient it will be against scratches, scuffs, and general wear and tear.  

7. Little Upkeep

Engineered wood flooring requires relatively little upkeep, but you’ll still want to stick to a basic maintenance schedule to ensure it looks its best for as long as possible.  Here are some things to keep in mind for cleaning and maintaining when considering engineered vs solid wood: 

• Ideally, you should stick to a dry cleaning approach when maintaining an engineered wood floor. 
• Avoid using mops and floor wipes whenever possible, and stick to dry brushes and vacuum cleaners instead. 
• Occasionally, you’ll need to tackle more significant stains and spillages. In these instances, use diluted floor cleaning solutions and damp mops.  
• You’ll need to think carefully about what kind of hardwood your veneers are made from when undertaking cleaning tasks. 
• Certain materials, such as maple and beech, are incredibly sensitive to moisture. If your flooring veneers are made from these hardwoods, be sparing when applying cleaning agents and ensure mops are thoroughly wrung out before use. 
• It’s also a good idea to go over a recently cleaned area with a dry cloth if moisture has been applied.  

8. A Brilliant Choice for Tighter Budgets

Engineered flooring is less expensive than standard solid hardwood. Provided you take good care of your engineered wood floor, it will last just as long as solid wood. If you spend a premium on an engineered wood floor with a thick veneer layer, like what you get with us at Wood Flooring Ireland, it can hold up well for over 30 years!

9. More Versatile

Engineered wood flooring is also far more versatile than solid wood. Because it’s more uniform and easier to cut to size, you’ll be dealing with almost zero waste. You can trim panels and planks to suitable lengths to accommodate your floor plans without having to purchase significantly more material than you need.  

10. Colour Options to Suit Any Space

Solid wood flooring is often limiting when it comes to colour options as, in many cases, you’re restricted to natural hues, with stains and finishing oils only allowing you some variety.  

You have a far broader palette to work with. In addition to natural shades, you can choose white wood flooring to complement minimalist interiors and open up a space. Grey wood flooring is another option for those looking for contemporary aesthetics for busier homes.  

Eager to Explore the Potential of Engineered Wood Flooring for Your Home? 

If your interiors are long overdue for an image overhaul, engineered wood flooring is an obvious choice. The best-engineered wood flooring can last just as long as solid wood flooring and requires little maintenance to keep it looking its best.  

Wood Flooring Ireland offers an unbeatable range of engineered flooring products at prices to suit every budget. Browse our selection of Plank, Herringbone and Chevon flooring and get a free sample or if you know your room measurements, order online now!