Engineered wood is a favorite among Arizona remodelers because it’s okay to lay it directly on a concrete slab. Engineered wood is a product with multiple layers, the top layer is solid wood, so it looks and feels like the real thing.
What it is: An engineered hardwood floor is made from three to five thin layers of wood, stacked in a cross-grain pattern and laminated together to form one plank. The top layer—the one that you see—is made from 1/4 – to 1/32-inch of the high-quality wood of your choice.
Benefits: Because engineered hardwood floors are made from layers of wood stacked in opposite directions, they don’t expand and contract as much on humid days as much as solid hardwood floors. Engineered floors can be nailed, stapled, glued or even floated over most kinds of subfloors, including concrete slabs. This makes them a popular choice in Arizona.
Challenges: Because the beautiful wood layer—the top layer—of an engineered floor is as thin as 1/32 of an inch, you won’t be able to sand it down and refinish it more than a couple of times. Rosie recommends that you select an engineered floor with a top layer that’s no thinner than one-eighth of an eighth of an inch.
Maintenance: Engineered floors call for the same simple maintenance as hardwood floors: regular sweeping and dust-mopping. Spot-clean tough messes with a slightly damp cloth or a water-based wood floor cleaner.
Cost: Around the same price as solid hardwood floors. High-quality and exotic woods can cost more. Installation adds to the cost.
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