Engineered Wood Flooring Explained

Is all engineered wood flooring the same?

There are lots of different types of engineered wood flooring, and lots of different qualities. At the top end, they are made entirely from hardwood, with a wear layer (top layer) equivalent to that of a solid wood floor. At the bottom end, their top layer can be as little as 1mm, over a base layer of HDF like laminate floors.  Where an engineered wood floor sits in this spectrum will affect its price, stability and durability. With engineered wood floors, as with most other things, you tend to get what you pay for.

How do you fit an engineered wood floor?

Higher quality engineered plank flooring can be fixed with glue or nails to the subfloor beneath in the same way as a solid wood floor. All engineered plank floors can be floated over underlay (fixed to one another and not to the subfloor beneath). In most cases this is done by gluing the edges of the boards together, but some thinner engineered wood floors are designed to click together instead.

Engineered parquet flooring will normally need to be glued to a load bearing subfloor (in the same way as tiles). Some parquet floors are also designed to click together instead, but in our experience these are more difficult to fit as there is nothing the hold them in place as you work.

Which is the best engineered wood flooring?

The best engineered wood floors in terms of quality are made from either from layers of hardwood, or a hardwood top layer over a hardwood ply base. These look and feel closest to a traditional solid wood floor. They have substantial wear layers (3mm or more) that are designed to withstand wear and tear over the long term (50 years +) and to be sanded and refinished multiple times (although this is rarely necessary). Typically floors of this quality have high performance finishes that are easy to maintain and renovate.

Floors made with softwood, or hdf, and with 1mm or 2mm wear layers, feel and wear more like a laminate. They have a more hollow sound when walked on and are designed to be a short term solution not sanded and refinished.

Does engineered wood flooring ever ‘go wrong’?

There is a common myth that engineered wood flooring is ‘bomb proof’ and will never cup or curl in response to moisture or temperature. This is not true. The layered construction of an engineered wood floor does add stability, but it will only ever be as strong as the adhesive that binds it together. If moisture, temperature, or the movement in the wood compromise the adhesive, the layers will separate and the floor will ‘go wrong’, often quite spectacularly.

Can you fit an engineered wood floor over underfloor heating?

In most cases yes, but not in all. There is a common myth that all engineered wood floors can be installed over underfloor hearing, but this is not the case – it will depend on the way that they are made, and the way the timber has been dried. To avoid problems, check that any floor to be laid over underfloor heating is specifically marked as suitable for this use and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for installation.

Why can you float an engineered wood floor and not a solid wood floor?

The reason for this is the layers. Most of the movement in wood occurs across its grain, rather than its length. As an engineered wood floor is made from layers of timber set at 90 degrees to one another, the tongue & groove / click profile is cut from the end grain of the timber so it can be glued or clicked together as any movement is minimal.

The tongue & groove profile in solid wood flooring is cut along with the width of the board, so it will expand and contract in the same way as the rest of the board. The profile is designed to accommodate this, but if you fill it with glue, any movement will have nowhere to go.

If you’ve got questions about engineered wood flooring or would like some help choosing the right floor for your project, contact our lovely team of experts. They’d love to hear from you and work with you on bringing your ideas to live.