What Is Engineered Wood Flooring?

When it comes to choosing the perfect flooring for your home, the options can be overwhelming. Engineered wood flooring has become increasingly popular for its aesthetic appeal, durability, and versatility. This type of flooring brings together the best of both worlds: the natural beauty of hardwood and the enhanced structural stability of engineered materials.

Engineered wood flooring offers a wide range of colours and styles at a more affordable price point. It is designed to withstand the rigours of daily use and is more resistant to water damage than solid wood floors. With its ease of installation, engineered wood flooring is becoming a popular choice for homeowners and professionals alike. 

What Makes Engineered Wood Flooring Different from Solid Wood?

Engineered wood flooring is distinct from solid wood flooring in several fundamental ways. The primary difference lies in its construction. Engineered wood flooring consists of a top layer of real hardwood, which provides the authentic look and feel of solid wood. Beneath this hardwood veneer, there is a core made from layers of plywood or high-density fibreboard (HDF). 

This core is engineered to add structural integrity and resistance to moisture and temperature fluctuations. The layers are typically arranged in a crisscross pattern, enhancing the flooring’s stability and preventing warping.

Another key component of engineered wood flooring is its locking system. Most engineered wood floors come with a click-lock system or a traditional tongue-and-groove design, making installation relatively straightforward. The base layer, often made of wood or melamine, further stabilises the floor, ensuring it stays level and secure over time. 

In contrast, solid wood flooring is exactly as it sounds – each plank is a piece of hardwood. While solid wood is highly valued for its longevity and the ability to be sanded and refinished multiple times, it can be prone to expanding and contracting with changes in humidity and temperature.

These construction differences mean that engineered wood flooring offers several practical advantages. 

It is generally more resistant to moisture than solid wood, making it suitable for use in areas where solid wood might not be ideal, such as basements and kitchens. Additionally, the installation options, including the click-lock system, make it an attractive choice for DIY enthusiasts. Engineered wood flooring also tends to be more dimensionally stable, which can reduce the chances of gaps forming between the boards over time.

What does engineered wood floor look like?

Short answer – like wood. Thanks to the layer of natural wood on top, a feature that makes it different from other flooring options like LVT, engineered wood flooring showcases the natural beauty of woodgrain, and can either reflect their tones and hues or be stained to take any wanted colour. 

Natural Engineered Wood Floor

A small collection of beautiful natural wood floors

Timba Floor 5G Engineered Oak – Brushed Matt Lacquered 2061

£219.93 Original price was: £219.93.£183.27Current price is: £183.27. (inc. VAT)

Timba Floor 5G Engineered Oak – Dark Oak: Brushed Matt Lacquered 2052

£62.78 Original price was: £62.78.£50.34Current price is: £50.34. (inc. VAT)

Timba Floor 5G Engineered Oak – Invisible: Brushed Matt Lacquered 2058

£129.25 Original price was: £129.25.£102.04Current price is: £102.04. (inc. VAT)

Timba Floor 5G Engineered Oak – Lacquered 2050

£62.78 Original price was: £62.78.£50.34Current price is: £50.34. (inc. VAT)

Timba Floor Engineered Herringbone Oak – Matt Lacquered 4414

£61.43 Original price was: £61.43.£51.19Current price is: £51.19. (inc. VAT)

Timba Floor Engineered Chevron – French Chateau Oak 2068

£36.59 (inc. VAT)

Pre-finishing techniques such as smoking, sawing, brushing, and planing can impart a distressed, rustic, or textured appearance to the wood. Additionally, applying stains and oils can either enhance the wood’s natural colour or create an entirely new shade, broadening the aesthetic possibilities.

You can also find engineered wood flooring in different styles, especially handy if there’s a want to break away from plain planks. Chevron and herringbone, both patterns that offer an upmarket feel and historically required a lot of extra work to fully achieve, make great options.

Most engineered wood flooring is pre-finished at the factory, meaning it comes with its final colour and finish already applied. This pre-finishing process not only provides a wider range of aesthetic options but also saves homeowners the time and effort of finishing the floors themselves.

How to maintain engineered wood flooring

Engineered wood flooring is a wise investment, offering longevity and durability, especially when properly cared for. The key to choosing the right engineered wood floor lies in the hardwood top layer and its finish. While the overall thickness of the floor has little impact on wear resistance, the thickness of the hardwood top layer is crucial. 

Floors with a top layer of 6mm or more can last a lifetime in most domestic settings, as they can be sanded and refinished multiple times, extending their lifespan significantly. This means that all the engineered wood flooring we stock, which starts at a thickness of 14mm and goes all the way to 20mm, is sandable if you want to start back from a clean slate.

The finish of your engineered wood floor affects its maintenance needs and durability. Lacquered finishes, applied in multiple layers, create a protective barrier that is resistant to spills and marks, making them ideal for high-traffic areas like kitchens and dining rooms. These floors are easier to maintain, although once the lacquer wears down, it must be sanded and reapplied. 

On the other hand, oil finishes offer a more natural look by allowing the wood’s original texture to shine through. They require regular maintenance with top-up oil to prevent the wood from drying out. While oil finishes develop a unique, lived-in appearance over time, they are more prone to marks and spills, so be aware of this when installing into kitchens or other spill-prone areas.

Where can I use engineered wood flooring?

Hard-wearing engineered wood flooring is suitable for most areas of the home, including dining and living rooms, hallways, kitchens, and bedrooms. However, because it remains a natural product, we do not recommend using engineered wood flooring in bathrooms or high-moisture environments like utility rooms where there is a potential for leaks. 

For kitchens and hallways, a lacquer finish is advisable due to its ease of maintenance and superior resistance to spills and marks compared to an oiled finish.

Engineered wood is also compatible with water or electric underfloor heating systems, as it is stable enough to withstand temperatures up to 27 degrees Celsius. When turning on underfloor heating for the first time or after a prolonged period of inactivity, it is essential to increase the temperature gradually over several days to allow the floor to acclimatise to the change. This careful adjustment helps maintain the integrity and longevity of the engineered wood flooring.

Any more questions?

We’ve covered the key areas around engineered wood flooring, but if you’re still curious, or looking to install it in your home, feel free to get in touch.