Solid Wood, like it sounds, is
milled from a single 3/4" thick piece of hardwood. Because of its thickness, a
solid hardwood floor can be sanded and refinished over several generations of
use. One of the characteristics of solid wood flooring is that it expands and
contracts with changes in your home's relative humidity. Normally, installers
compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion gap between the floor and
the wall. Base molding or quarter round is traditionally used to hide the extra
space.
Engineered Wood is actually produced with three to five layers of hardwood.
Each layer is stacked in a cross-grain configuration and bonded together under
heat and pressure. As a result, engineered wood flooring is less likely to be
affected by changes in humidity and can be installed at all levels of the home,
even in basements.
Shaw Hardwood flooring offers two different engineered constructions:
Shaw Engineered with Hardwood Core
Shaw Engineered with High Density
Fiberboard Core
Before deciding on Solid or
Engineered hardwood flooring, consider these factors:
Location, Location, Location
The location of your hardwood flooring basically falls into three categories:
On Grade - at ground level
Above Grade - any second level
or higher
Below Grade - any floor below
ground level, including basements or sunken living rooms.
Traditional solid hardwood
flooring is not well suited for high moisture areas such as bathrooms or
below-grade installations.
The construction of an engineered
hardwood gives it enhanced structural stability and moisture resistance that
allows it to be installed at any grade level.
What type of sub floor do you
have?
If you plan to install over concrete, you must use an engineered product to
ensure structural integrity. Solid wood flooring or Engineered flooring may be
used over plywood, wood, or OSB sub floors.
Will there be moisture in the room?
If so, you'll want to select an Engineered hardwood. The moisture resistance of
an engineered hardwood makes it suitable for rooms where moisture is a
possibility, such as bathrooms or kitchens.
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