Solid or Engineered Wood Flooring

Are you unsure about whether to go for solid or engineered wood flooring? Here I will explain some of the differences between the two and help you to decide which option is best for you.

High End Solid Wood Flooring

The solid wood flooring that we supply and install at RJ Flooring is very high quality and gives an excellent finish to any property, it is a natural product that has been used to enhance interiors for centuries. It is versatile, hard wearing and has a natural beauty that cant be replicated and in most situations there are no issues with using solid timber flooring.

Versatile Engineered Wood Floors

Where we would most likely recommend only using engineered wood is in kitchens, bathrooms or where underfloor heating and/or a wood burner is present. This is because engineered wood handles heat and moisture much better that solid wood, which is prone to warping and twisting in such conditions which can cause serious problems in the medium/long term. Engineered wood is quickly overtaking solid wood as the product of choice. Our engineered wood has a 6mm (the thickest available) solid oak wear layer and can be sanded and re-finished many, many times. Once it is fitted it is practically identical to a solid wood floor and just as impressive. You are far less likely to have any future problems with an engineered floor (for example if you had a water leak) and it’s less likely to ever need replacing.

Also if you like wider boards (which really show off the natural character of the wood) with engineered wood they will permanently stay flat, where wider solid wood boards can be prone to cupping and warping, especially in high heat and moisture content areas.