Engineered hardwood floors present a number of advantages to consider when
looking at real hardwood flooring:
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engineered hardwood flooring offers practicality similar to laminate, but with
a top layer of real hardwood that can often be sanded and refinished
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engineered hardwood flooring performs in areas which are not environmentally
controlled all year round
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engineered hardwood floors can be installed in below-grade installations being
designed to expand and contract in response to environmental changes without
warping or cupping
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engineered hardwood floors are often designed to be for use over radiant heat
Designed with a multi-ply core layer, each plank is structurally stable enough
to adapt to changing humidity levels and temperatures.Further, many varieties
of engineered hardwood floors are designed to function over radiant heating
systems. For more information about engineered hardwood flooring,
contact a BuildDirect rep.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring Species
To find out whether or not your choice in flooring will stand up to the amount
of foot traffic and other forms of abrasion you expect,it’s best to
consult the Janka
hardness scale to see where your favourite choice in hardwood flooring
falls.
Here are some popular choices with their advantages in hardwood flooring to take
a look at:
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Red oak and white oak – pale in color, versatile, easy to nail and saw
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Maple – harder than oak, abrasion-resistant
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Santos Mahogany – a richly exotic hardwood which is both very decorative
and very hard, lending both durability and beauty.
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Brazilian Cherry (Jatoba)– Very hard, photosensitive (will change color
from brownish red to burgundy over time)
How to Choose a Species for Engineered Hardwood Floors
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A balance to consider is that of hardness versus workability. If it is
important to install a hardwood which is very hard – like Canadian maple
or Brazilian Cherry – than it must be expected that it will take extra
effort when it comes to sawing and nailing.
By the same token, if one is looking for a hardwood species which is easily sawn
and nailed – like alder or fir floors – than the greater chance of
indentation or scratches must be taken into account.
Many buyers tend to place a balanced importance on both hardness and
workability. Although, sometimes color or grain pattern makes the
decision of which
species of hardwood to choose an easy one.
Handscraped Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Handscraped engineered hardwood flooring is very popular effect,
otherwise known as “distressed” floors. This surface effect
is created by means of working the surface of each plank with hand held tools
to create a seasoned, texturally contoured surface
Stained Engineered Hardwood Flooring
For greater flexibility for color choices, stained hardwood floors are the
ideal answer for many, allowing the color of one species to be added to the
strength of another. This allows for all kinds of design possibilities
without necessarily sacrificing any practical concerns. Also, stains can be
added to a species to bring out the subtleties in the color spectrum and grain
patterns.