In this article, we are going to discuss basic difference between a solid hardwood and an engineered hardwood.
Solid hardwood is one piece of hardwood from top to bottom and the most common thickness of solid hardwood is three-quarters of an inch but you can see other variations such as 5/8 or even half-inch thickness. But the most typical you’ll see or the most prevalent is three-quarter inch solid hardwood measuring from top to bottom. A Solid hardwood is all one piece of wood irrespective of the type of wood species whether maple or hickory, three-quarter inch all the way from top to the bottom. The only way really to see the difference between solid and an engineered hardwood is to look at cross-section because from the top, just looking at the surface you can’t tell the real difference. The same applies to the laminate floor as well as you can’t tell the difference between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood and a laminate. It’s only through the cross-section that you can find how the wood is constructed. While solid hardwood is one would from top to bottom, engineered hardwood is made up of layers of wood typically it is seven layers but it can be anywhere from 4 , 5 or even up to nine layers. It is layered wood where the wood is actually put at 90° angles all the way across and the top and the bottom layer is the real oak, hickory or maple whatever the product is it’s that top payer what they’re referring to. The top layers vary in thickness and could have different features such as Glass texture or have a hands scrapped texture etc. But the top layers wood is the actual real wood.
Differences between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood
Solid hardwood must be nailed or stapled down to a wood subfloor. Solid hardwood is not installed on concrete subfloors. There are some glues out there that are that work with solid hardwood but they are very expensive as they relatively new to the market. So one major difference between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood is that solid hardwood must be nailed or stalped down. That eliminates the chance of installing the hardwood in basements or the home that is just built on a concrete slab and they’re doing a project on the first floor. With the engineered hardwood, you have options in terms of how to install. It can go down on a wood subfloor or concrete subfloor. On a concrete subfloor, you can actually glue down direct. The other way to install over concrete subfloor would be to float the floor. You actually glue the tongue and groove together and float is over a pad.
now with solid hardwood if you get a deep gouge or a deep scratch, something damages the floor itself you have the option and this is one of the great benefits of solid, you have the option of sanding the floor and refinishing the absolute great benefit solid hardwood it can be sanded and refinished typically multiple times it’s typically job done by hardwood flooring professional and they know just how deep to go to get that gouge repair that you’re looking for to replace or to to fix. So a definite benefit is that can be sanded and refinished but keep in mind with the staining refinishing comes a good pretty good expense.