Solid vs Engineered Wood Flooring

When it comes to hardwood flooring, there are two types: solid and engineered. Each has its own advantages, disadvantages, and idiosyncrasies. Choosing which is right for you involves a decision based on many factors, including price, the climate where you live and style. Whether you choose solid or engineered flooring, either is a spectacular addition to your home’s decor. What’s the chief difference? To be blunt, solid is solid; engineered is not.

Usually, solid hardwood floorboards are three-quarters of an inch thick and are cut in lengths of from 1-7 feet. They’re also usually 1.5-8 inches wide.

Some of their other characteristics include:

Because solid hardwood floor planks, of any size, are comprised of a single piece of wood, moisture and weather can cause them to expand and contract. These changes can result in cupping and warping, which will damage the floor. For this reason, you shouldn’t install solid hardwood floors in a basement.

In most cases, solid hardwood floors appear more natural than their engineered counterparts. If you’d like your gorgeous new floor to have a touch of rustic charm, then solid hardwood floors are the way to go. Some of the most popular solid hardwoods include acacia, oak, walnut and eucalyptus – and worth noting Cochran’s only sources American reclaimed and harvested virgin timber for its wood flooring and other products.

For people who prefer a more uniform look than solid hardwood provides, there is engineered wood flooring. Generally, the planks are cut in the same varying sizes as solid wood planks.

A few of engineered hardwood characteristics include:

Top-flight engineered floors have between three and 12 layers per plank. Some of the best examples of engineered floor planks include interlocking connectors that simply click together without the use of glue or nails. Because of the multiple layers, each of which can expand and contract separately, engineered flooring is less affected by weather and humidity changes.

Engineered wood flooring is perfect for basement installation. It’s also, by definition, more uniform in appearance than solid flooring, so it’s a good choice if you prefer a modern look. Unlike solid flooring, which is only available in a few selections, you can have engineered flooring in almost any variety.

In both cases, the planks can be distressed, hand-scraped or smoothly oiled. It all depends on the look you want. To have some fun, you can get hand-scraped planks and then go to town distressing it yourself. You can drop full paint cans, rattle chains like a ghost, and even whack away with a hammer to create the look of well-worn hardwood.

The chief advantage you have by working with Cochran’s Lumber is that we’ll provide you with a custom pre-finished floor that requires no special treatments or procedures and that matches your exact specifications. Our company is family-owned and -operated, so you can rely on our combination of values and ethics. Give us a call today to find out more and to book an appointment or sample request.

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Cochran’s Lumber is proud to be the leading provider of spectacular floors for homes, offices, and retail spaces across America! Our newly redesigned showroom was thoughtfully designed to make the selection of flooring and finishes exciting and simple. We feature a variety of new and reclaimed flooring products and many new and unique finishes.

We are proud to offer an inviting space where customers can come and get a clear vision of the many types of hardwood flooring options that we offer, and feel comfortable at the same time.

Visit our showroom today in historic Berryville, VA (only 50 miles west of Washington D.C) or give us a call at 1(877) 297-8331.