Engineered Hardwood at Brampton Hardwood Floors
- Engineered Hardwood at Brampton Hardwood Floors
- Advantages
- Engineered Hardwood vs. Solid Hardwood
- Engineered Hardwood vs. Laminate Flooring
- Installation
- Care
Engineered hardwood is constructed with a layer of hardwood bonded to a plywood substrate giving the product the look and feel of a hardwood floor with the added advantages of increased stability in changing humidity conditions. Based on its structure, engineered hardwood floor is the most versatile hard surface flooring available. Known for its inherent stability, engineered floors can be installed practically anywhere in the home including basements. Engineered floors are also a practical alternative to solid wood floors in condominiums providing you with the same look and feel of wooden floors. Brampton Hardwood carries an assortment of prefinished engineered hardwood floors in many different species and colours.
Engineered hardwood can be installed in any part of the house including basements and as well as in condominiums. Engineered hardwood can be installed on top of wood, concrete, or even the existing floor like ceramic tiles or linoleum. Some engineered floors can even be installed over radiant heat systems.
Engineered hardwood has a more structurally sound construction compared to solid hardwood, therefore it is able to be installed in environments where there isn't consistent humidity levels.
Engineered hardwood uses real wood on the top of its construction. This gives the home owner the look and feel of solid hardwood while using less hardwood in its construction, making it an environmentally friendly alternative to solid hardwood.
Engineered floors can be nailed, glued, or floated providing you with various installation options. Engineered hardwood now also comes in click style installation systems making it even easier for the do-it-yourselfer.
Engineered hardwood is available in many different stain colours, styles, and sizes to compliment any decor in your home. No matter how diverse or unique your needs are, there is always an option for you.
Engineered hardwood that is glued or nailed down allows the home owner to re-sand the floor a couple of times providing that it has enough of a wear layer. When you decide to refinish your floor in the future you will have the option of changing the colour or finish if desired to create an entirely new look.
Engineered hardwood is manufactured using a veneer of hardwood applied to the surface of each plank, with the remaining plank being made with multiple layers of plywood. Due to its construction, engineered hardwood is manufactured using less hardwood making it an environmentally friendly choice over solid hardwood. Solid hardwood is manufactured from a solid piece of wood, generally ¾” thick.
Engineered hardwood, because of its structure, can be installed by nailing, gluing, or floating it and on many different sub floors and surfaces including concrete and over ceramic or linoleum. Solid hardwood can only be nailed down onto a wooden sub floor.
Engineered hardwood can resist higher humidity changes in the home because of its construction and therefore can be installed anywhere in the home including the basement; whereas solid hardwood can only be installed in very stable humidity conditions on a wooden sub floor and only on or above the soil level of the home.
Engineered floors can only be resurfaced one or two times depending on the thickness of the hardwood veneer and provided that the engineered floor was originally glued or nailed down to the subfloor. Solid hardwood can be resurfaced many times which extends the longevity of the floor to over 100 hundred years.
Solid hardwood should never be installed over a radiant heat system. Depending on the manufacturer and species of the wood, an engineered hardwood floor may be installed over radiant heat systems.
Solid hardwood is traditionally and currently the most common flooring option available offering home owners many choices of stain colours, species, and grades. In comparison, engineered hardwood is limited in species and grades available.
Solid hardwood requires special tools to install and most likely will require a professional installer. With click engineered floating floors, less specialized tools are required for installation, making it easier for the do-it-yourselfer.
Engineered hardwood has a top layer of real hardwood which can be re-sanded in the future (if it was originally nailed or glued down and has enough wear layer) thereby increasing its value and longevity. Laminate flooring has a photographic image of hardwood laminated to a fibreboard substrate which cannot be re-sanded.
Engineered hardwood provides the home owner with the look and feel of real wood. Laminate flooring is composed of computer generated images of wood planks and has repeat patterns that can reduce the level of realism in the floor.
Engineered hardwood is expensive to manufacture due to its complexity of integrated layers of hardwood and plywood. Laminate flooring is more economical to produce and therefore less expensive to purchase.
Depending on the manufacturer and species of the wood, not all engineered floors can be put over radiant heat systems. All laminate floors are safe for radiant heat systems.
All laminate flooring comes in click mechanism systems allowing for an easy installation. Not all engineered hardwood is available in this format thereby limiting your engineering flooring options if you are looking strictly to purchase a click mechanism flooring.
Engineered hardwood performs just like solid hardwood when it comes to scratching and denting. Laminate flooring has an extremely tough wear layer of melamine finish which gives it added durability with regards to denting and scratching. Its extra tough durability is ideal for families with active lifestyles including those families with children and pets.
Engineered hardwood can be installed on many different sub floors and in many different ways. You can nail the floor planks onto a wooden subfloor or glue down the planks onto a wooden or concrete subfloor. You can also float the floor over concrete or existing ceramic tiles or linoleum by edge gluing the planks together or clicking the panels together; this is the simplest method which makes it real easy for the do-it-yourselfer.
Please click here to download a complete installation manual.
Engineered hardwood floors should be protected immediately upon their installation by periodic cleaning using a suitable hardwood floor cleaner. To prevent scratches, felt protector pads should be used under all furniture. When moving furniture, remember to lift and not drag. High heeled shoes should never be worn on top of any hardwood floor. Following this advice as well as the advice below will ensure that you will be enjoying your engineered hardwood floor for many years to come.
First sweep or vacuum your hardwood floor. (If you plan to vacuum your floor make sure your vacuum attachment is safe for hardwood).
Make sure your cleaner is made specifically for hardwood floors. It should say so on the front of the bottle.
After sweeping or vacuuming your hardwood spray some cleaner onto the appropriate applicator and apply it to the floor.
While cleaning check the terry cloth/micro fibre cover's underside for dirt buildup every so often. If terry cloth/microfibre cover is dirty, remove and replace with a clean cover.
Stock up on extra terry cloth/micro fibre covers when cleaning larger areas of hardwood. Using dirty terry cloth/micro-fibre covers only spreads the dirt around creating steaks on the floor.
Terry cloth/micro-fibre cloths are machine washable and therefore reuseable.
Do not use these covers other than for cleaning your hardwood floors.
To prevent scratches to the surface of your hardwood floor apply felt pads to the under side of all furniture. For heavier furniture, use felt pad protected castor cups to help spread the weight and prevent dent marks on the hardwood.
Periodically inspect under your furniture for worn or loose felt pad protectors and replace as soon as possible.
Do not walk with high heeled shoes on hardwood
Lift any furniture that is to be moved onto or away from your hardwood floors
Do not wet mop your hardwood floor. Excess humidity directly applied to your floor may permanently damage it.
Do not use water or vinegar to clean your hardwood floors. Do not use furniture policy or wax on polyurethane hardwood floors.
Do not use any detergents that are not made specifically for hardwood floors.
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