Hardwood Flooring: Solid or Engineered?
As a typical homeowner, you have no doubt looked around your home while watching TV or cooking dinner and thought what could I do to spruce the place up a bit? If you're like most homeowners, you have undoubtedly looked at your floors and wondered about upgrading from carpet to hardwood flooring.
When you begin investigating hardwood flooring, you will no doubt find that your easy decision just got a whole lot more complicated. There are a number of options when it comes to selecting hardwood, and the biggest decision will inevitably be solid vs. engineered hardwood.
Don;t let this decision get you down or derail your remodeling dreams. At Denver Carpet and Flooring, we're here to help you answer all your questions about home remodeling projects. Let us walk you through the basics of solid and engineered hardwood flooring.
Basics, Benefits, and Drawbacks of Solid Hardwood Flooring in your Denver Home
As the name suggests, solid hardwood floors are made from a solid wood. Each individual board is made using a single piece of hardwood that is typically 1/2 inch thick. Solid hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for your home because it will stand the test of time, adapting with your home. Solid hardwood can be sanded down and refinished as the interior design scheme of your home changes.
On the downside, solid hardwood flooring is vulnerable to expansion and contraction with the elements. Your home's interior is not immune to changes in the local environment. When heat and humidity rise in the spring and summer, solid hardwood floors will expand. When the cold Colorado winters set in, your solid hardwood floors will contract.
If solid hardwood floors are not installed properly, you'll notice problems. As the floors contract, the gaps between the boards will expand in size. As the floors expand in the heat and humidity, the boards could buckle and warp.
Basics, Benefits, and Drawbacks of Engineered Hardwood in your Denver Home
Alternatively, you could select engineered hardwood flooring. Engineered floor boards are constructed with a layered, cross-grain configuration. Each layer of wood is stacked in a cross-grain configuration and bonded to the next layer using heat and pressure. If you're conscious of your impact on the environment, engineered hardwood would be a great choice because most brands manufacture their engineered flooring using recycled wood fibers to reduce waste.
Engineered hardwood, because it is manufactured under intense heat and pressure, is more resistant to changes in the elements in your home. This type of flooring rarely expands and contracts, making it ideal for homes in Colorado that experience warm summers and cold winters.
If there is a major downside to engineered hardwood, it is the fact that it can be more expensive than solid hardwood flooring to install. The expense typically comes down to application. Where the flooring is installed in your home and additional measures that need to be taken (such as moisture barriers) can raise the cost.
Denver Hardwood Flooring From Denver Carpet and Flooring
Feeling confused yet? If you are, that's OK. Our knowledgeable, professional sales people at Denver Carpet and Flooring can help you determine the right type of hardwood flooring for your home. We'll come out to your home and measure the rooms you;re considering, discuss installation options based upon location in the home (upstairs, grade level, below-grade level), and offer you an estimate on the spot.
Our friendly staff is dedicated to helping you select the hardwood flooring solution that is right for your home. When you shop with Denver Carpet and Flooring, you'll get the best pricing possible in the state of Colorado.
Pick up the phone and call 303 432-FLOOR (3566) or click here?and set up a time and date we can come to your home and help you decide which type of Hardwood Flooring is best for you.
