If you want a cost-effective way to bring the beauty of wood flooring into your home, then opt for engineered hardwood floors.
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Cleverly constructed
Engineered flooring is constructed by bonding together layers of wood and then topping them with a layer of wood veneer to give a solid wood wear layer. It’s this strong and durable construction which means this type of flooring is resistant to excessive expansion and contraction making it a smart choice for moisture filled environments like kitchens and bathrooms. In fact, wherever you install engineered wood flooring, no one will know it’s not the real thing.
3-ply or multiply?
As the name suggests, 3-ply flooring is constructed from a base layer, a core and the wear layer or lamella. This type of flooring is the cheapest options but is also weaker than multiply. In multiply flooring, there are more layers of ply in the core layer making it particularly strong and resilient and ideal for use with underfloor heating.
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Just another laminate?
Although laminate is also manufactured in a similar way, you shouldn’t confuse the two. Engineered wood flooring can be refinished a number of times, depending on the thickness of the wear layer. Laminate simply has a photograph of wood printed on the top layer and therefore cannot be refinished.
Buying choices
The type of engineered wood flooring you install will depend on a number of factors. If you have underfloor heating then that will dictate the thickness. If you want extra stability you’ll need a thicker board. If you want the ability to refinish your floor, choose the thickest possible wear layer. In terms of finish, you’ll have the same range of choices as with solid wood flooring – oiled or lacquered, hand scraped or distressed – so you can create the perfect flooring for your interiors. Buy from a trusted retailer like http://www.woodfloorwarehouse.co.uk/ for the best choice.
The benefits of engineered flooring
This type of flooring offers all the beauty of solid wood flooring, and is an affordable and value-added feature for your home. More sustainable than some types of solid wood flooring, you can create outstanding effects with exotic hardwoods that would otherwise be too expensive. If you hanker for a wood floor in the kitchen or bathroom, engineered wood flooring is the ideal choice.