If you are building a new home, chances are you will be interested in wood flooring in at least one of your rooms. Wood flooring has a timeless look, and gives the house a warm feel. The decision between solid hardwood vs engineered wood flooring can be confusing. Many luxury home builders include hardwoods in the homes they build and you will need to make a decision on what they should include. To help your decision, here are a few features and benefits of both types of wood flooring.
Solid hardwood floors have been around forever. This type of wood flooring is solid all the way through. Due to this, it can be sanded and refinished 3 to 5 times. It can come either unfinished (no stain or sealant) or prefinished (prestained and sealed). Solid hardwood typically comes unfinished.
Solid hardwood floors must be nailed or glued to a wooden sub-floor, but it should not be installed straight on concrete. Solid hardwood is not recommended in high moisture rooms, like the kitchen or bathroom. The high moisture content in the air can cause the wood to ripple or buckle over time.
After installation of an unfinished wood a light sanding, custom staining and sealing is done. After sealing you will need to wait at least 48 hours for the sealant to dry before walking on it. This process can hold up other subcontractors on the job site.
Solid hardwood is great for the homeowner looking for a unique custom look. It can be custom handscraped, distressed and stained, giving you a one of a kind look.
Engineered wood flooring is an common alternative to solid wood for the Austin market. It is less expensive than solid and can be glued direct to the slab and glued or nailed to a sub-floor. You will be able to get up to two resurfacings from most engineered hardwood floors. Engineered wood is suitable for areas with light moisture like kitchens and bathrooms.
The top layer of wood is the finished layer that you see and walk on. Most are treated with an aluminum oxide finish, which provides a hard protective layer that reduces scratches to the surface. Underneath that, it is comprised of layers of plywood that run perpendicular to its adjacent ply, giving it dimensional strength. Because of the structure, it is less susceptible to shrinkage and expansion movement due to fluctuations in humidity or temperature.
After installation, engineered wood can be walked on almost immediately. This helps when you have several sub-contractors trying to work at the same time.
If you want more information on luxury homes in Austin, please contact us at Sterling Custom Homes.
A special thanks to Designer Floors for contributing this month’s guest post on wood flooring.
