What is engineered wood flooring?
Hardwood flooring in Houston usually means two options: real hardwood or engineered wood. If you’re in the market for a new hardwood floor, then you need to know your options. Real hardwood is pretty obvious by the name: it’s the original hardwood floor, the one that engineered wood is modeled after. It is usually fairly thick, milled straight from tree trunks, and is available in many different grains and finish colors.
But what about engineered wood flooring? What is this new type of flooring that acts and looks like real wood but which has a different name? Engineered hardwood is essentially several layers of wood pressed together with high heat and pressure. What are the layers made of?
Below the surface of engineered hardwood are several layers of thin plywood. The top layer is the only thing visible, and this layer is actually a thin wood veneer glued on top of the plywood. The result is a board that is actually more versatile and arguably more environmentally friendly than true hardwood. This is how engineered wood is available in so many options, sometimes more options than are available in hardwood, depending on where you are shopping.
Also often called laminate flooring, engineered wood is more resistant to moisture and less likely to contract or expand than real wood. This means that suddenly, wood flooring is an option in high moisture areas of the home—the kitchen, the bathroom, the basement, even the laundry room.
How to Install Wood Flooring
Before turning to hardwood flooring installation in Houston yourself, there are a few things you need to know. There are a lot of steps involved with putting in flooring. For example, your first step is to clear the floor so you can tell what type of subflooring you have in place. Is it damaged? You may need to replace the subflooring (often just a layer of thick plywood) before beginning. You’ll also need to measure the levelness of the surface. If there are significant discrepancies from one location to another in the same room, you’ll need to first level the floor.
To actually lay the floor, start with a straight board and line up the flat side against the wall with a spacer between the wall and board for expansion. Make sure the tongue side is facing the inside of the room before nailing it into place. Some laminate flooring can be installed as a “floating” floor, entirely based on the tongues and grooves snapping together. You have to pay careful attention to what board you place where, often cutting them with a saw so they will fit.
Have you tried Glamour Flooring yet?
If you can’t tell by now, installing a wood floor, whether real wood or engineered, is a big job. Instead of doing it yourself, why not hire a team like us at Glamour Flooring? We are a hardwood flooring store in the Houston area that specializes in affordable installation. We’ve been in business since 2009, and we are excited about the opportunity to lay the floors in your home. If you’re considering engineered wood flooring in Houston, consider inviting us in to lay it for you.