Engineered Hardwood Floors in Phoenix, Arizona have become a very popular choice for homeowners today because they offer a balance between cost and durability.

What is Engineered Hardwood Flooring?

Engineered hardwood floors have a real hardwood top layer so they still have all the comfort and natural beauty of a solid hardwood floor. Most engineered hardwood floors come pre-finished so installation is quick and ready to go underfoot immediately.

Solid or “traditional” hardwood floors are exactly that… Solid! meaning they are a single hardwood through the entire piece milled directly from cut lumber of whatever species the floor is such as Oak, Maple, Birch, Ash, Cherry, Acacia, Walnut etc.

Engineered Hardwood Floors have a layer of hardwood often called the “wear layer” fused to layers of Softwood such as Pine or HDC core making up the majority of the structure where the Hardwood layer is what you see and feel when you walk on it, so just by looking at them once installed people often have a hard time distinguishing any difference.

Why does this matter? which floor is better for Phoenix Arizona?

Remember the wear layer? That is the hardwood layer that provides the density you walk on, so the thinner the wear layer the less density you have meaning it is going to dent easier than a floor that had a thicker Hardwood layer, Since most Engineered wear layers range from 2mm to 5mm versus Solid Floor that is often 3/4″ thick you are trading Density.

So Solid is always better than Engineered right?!, not so fast. While solid floors have a greater density they are nothing more than cut timber, so they tend to expand and contract more than an egineered floor would because of the nature of wood generally expands from temperature and moisture cross grain. meaning the width more than the length is affected. Manufactures of engineered hardwood understand this and often rotate each of the multiple layers 90 degrees so when moisture and humidity fluctuate as they often do dramatically here in Phoenix, the floor doesn’t expand as easily as it would being a solid piece with grain running all one direction.

Another Plus for Engineered versus Solid hardwood floor in Phoenix.

Unlike solid hardwood floors, engineered Hardwoods don’t generally require the addition of a sub-floor. While modern adhesive technology has changed the way Arizona Hardwood floors are installed allowing for a direct glue to concrete application Solid Hardwood floors are traditionally stapled over a plywood sub-floor adding height and cost.

Most often engineered wood is glued down directly to the concrete slab main level or plywood upstairs. These adhesives or mastics provide a moisture barrier to the concrete slab and also remain pliable for many years to ensure a good flexible bond between the engineered hardwood floor and the sub-layer.

There is an alternative method to install some engineered brands over foam, this method is called “floating”. Since engineered floors use a tongue and groove system some brands have incorporated a locking system that allows the floor to “float” over the sub-layer.

By floating a floor you eliminate all adhesion between the sub-layer and the engineered floor itself. Instead there is a moisture barrier, sound dampening layer of foam or pad rolled out over the sub-layer, the engineered floor is then installed on top of that by locking each piece to its neighboring pieces using the locking tongue and groove system developed by the manufacturer.

The floor is held down by installing the baseboards and t-molding around the edges or adding a quarter-round trim option in front of the existing baseboard.

The benefit of either of these installation methods is that without the addition of a sub-floor the height of these engineered surfaces usually range from 1/2″ to 9/16″ making them transition flawlessly between other floors in your home such as tile and carpet.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring Installation in Phoenix Arizona

Over the past 20 years Engineered floors have become so popular there has been an explosion in the flooring industry.

The engineered hardwood floor market in Phoenix, Arizona has been flooded with thousands of new products. That’s had a positive result for you as the consumer since more products force the cost down and an increase in the style, species, and color options.

In today’s competitive flooring marketplace, there are options ranging from traditional oak, to exotic species like Brazilian cherry. Styles range from contemporary smooth-finished, high-gloss floors to modern trend hand-scraped matte or satin-finished floors all at very competitive and affordable prices!

All Pro Floors, Trained Sales Staff can show you first hand the differences between one product to the next and explain all of the variable involved when choosing the right Engineered hardwood floor for your home or office. We can explain proper maintenance procedures from Re-coats to daily care so you can avoid costly sanding down the road. whether it is engineered or Solid hardwood when properly maintained their natural beauty can last a lifetime