Timber flooring brings a warm ambience to a home. Rather than installing solid wooden planks, though, consider opting for engineered oak flooring instead. Here are its benefits.
More Stable than Solid Wood
One of the main reasons you might consider engineered oak flooring is because it's more stable than solid timber. Engineered planks are made up of a plywood core that consists of several thin wood slices glued together. The linear grain pattern of each subsequent layer is set at right angles to the previous one. Such a crisscross structure gives the plywood stability so that it doesn't expand and shrink so much as solid wood. Once spread across your floor, the planks will cover the surface evenly even if the temperature fluctuates.
Attractive
To finish engineered planks, the plywood core is covered with a thin veneer of attractive oak. This top layer is what is displayed when the boards are laid across the room. You can choose between different shades of oak, including pinks, tans, yellows and browns. Engineered planks also come in various lengths and widths for varying effects. For a sleek appearance with fewer joins, you might use wide planks. You can also combine variable widths to give a room a rustic vibe. Engineered flooring is more authentic than laminate boards, which only feature a photograph of wood on top rather than actual timber.
Convenient to Install
Engineered flooring is easy to install. These planks often come in an interlocking system so that the boards click together. You don't necessarily need to glue or nail the planks to the subfloor, as you often need to with solid planks. Thus, engineered planks are more versatile, as they can be installed in a room with a concrete slab, for example.
Re-sandable
Because engineered planks are covered with a solid hardwood layer, they can be sanded in the future to reveal a pristine surface, just like solid timber can be. Bear in mind, though, that engineered flooring can't be sanded as frequently as solid wood because the veneer layer is not as thick. The depth of the topmost veneer layer controls the number of times this refinishing is possible. A thicker veneer can be shaved more times before it wears away than a thinner one. For this reason, it's essential to check this attribute of the flooring you purchase. Other options, like tiles or laminate, can't be made to look new again in this manner.