Is Engineered Oak Flooring As Good As Solid Oak?

7th Sep 2012 @ 16:49

With traditional solid oak flooring being used in homes for many years, its hard to see how anything could match the durability, and beautiful nature that it possesses. Whilst originally most of the flooring would have been green oak, nowadays air drying and kiln drying has become more commonplace as the understanding of oak has grown. This knowledge and improved technologies eventually resulted in engineered oak flooring hitting the market, but is it really as good as solid oak flooring?

Whilst solid oak boards are made up of a full 20mm of oak, an engineered oak board consists of a top layer of 6mm solid oak which is bonded to a strong, stable, tongue and grooved plyboard base, to produce a 21mm floor board. When looking at solid and engineered boards from the side, the difference can be easily seen.

Oak Flooring

From above however, an engineered oak floor is completely indistinguishable from a solid oak floor, and both look equally as great once laid. The same traditional gradings are also available with engineered boards, so whether your after a board full of knots and cracks or something completely clean, there is an engineered board for you.

So you may be asking why should I choose an engineered oak floor over an solid oak floor? The main advantage of engineered oak boards is the fact they are much less susceptible to movement which is caused by changes in humidity. A traditional solid oak floor, when exposed to changes in humidity and temperature will expand and contract. This can lead to a range of different problems including cupping and warping.

Oak Flooring

As a result of its construction, engineered oak boards are much less prone to these problems and therefore much more suited for areas with changeable humidity. This means that engineered oak is often the perfect choice for rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom, where a solid oak floor would not be suitable. This also means that engineered oak boards can be used over the top of a underfloor heating system, ensuring you can enjoy all the modern homely comforts with all the character of an oak floor.

If you would like to learn more regarding engineered or solid oak flooring, then please do give us a call on 01538 304584.

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