Choosing between engineered hardwood and solid hardwood depends on your needs. Engineered hardwood offers stability and moisture resistance, ideal for areas like basements or kitchens. Solid hardwood, however, is durable and can be sanded and refinished multiple times, offering long-term value. Understanding these differences helps you make the best choice for your home.
What is better, engineered hardwood or solid hardwood?
Both engineered hardwood and solid hardwood have their pros and cons, so the "better" option depends on your specific needs and preferences.
Construction
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is made of multiple layers, usually plywood or fiberboard, topped with a real hardwood veneer. The cross-grain pattern enhances stability, making it more resistant to warping, expansion, and contraction from temperature and humidity changes, offering greater durability than solid hardwood.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood is crafted from a single piece of wood, typically 3/4" thick, offering the natural beauty and feel of real wood throughout its entire structure.
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Lifespan
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood typically lasts 20 to 30 years. While fine scratches can be lightly sanded out, deep scratches that go through the veneer are hard to repair.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood can last 30 to 50 years, or even up to 100 years, with proper maintenance. It can be sanded and refinished multiple times, but it must be kept dry to avoid damage. Solid hardwood outlasts engineered hardwood when well-maintained.
Sizes
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood comes in similar sizes to solid hardwood but is often available in wider planks at lower prices due to reduced manufacturing costs. Common thicknesses range from 3/8 to 9/16 inches, with widths up to 7 inches and lengths ranging from 12 to 60 inches.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood planks are typically 3/4 inch thick and range from 2-1/4 to 4 inches wide. Lengths vary from 12 to 84 inches, with wider planks available at higher prices.
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Style and species
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood comes in durable species like Oak, Maple, and Hickory, which are resistant to wear. It offers a variety of widths up to 5 inches, along with numerous colors and textures to suit different styles.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood offers similar design options as solid hardwood, but with added versatility. It can feature softer exotic species, unique textures, surface treatments, color effects, and extra-wide planks that are often only possible with engineered wood.
Durability
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood can be refinished once or twice before the surface hardwood layer wears out. If the top veneer is thinner than 3/32 inches, it cannot be sanded down without reaching the plywood or HDF core.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood is more durable and can be sanded and refinished several times throughout its lifespan. The number of times it can be sanded depends on factors like the amount of wood left, sanding equipment, floor flatness, and the skill of the person doing the sanding.
Installation location
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood can be installed in the same rooms as solid hardwood, but its construction makes it ideal for basements, radiant heating systems, and concrete floors. It’s also a good choice when you need to match the height of adjoining floors or fit into thin spaces under appliances. However, it should still be avoided in bathrooms and laundry rooms.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood is best suited for above-ground spaces like living areas, dining rooms, kitchens, and bedrooms. It is not recommended for bathrooms or laundry rooms due to the risk of water damage and humidity.
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Sound
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood floors are generally quieter than other flooring options but tend to sound more hollow than solid wood. They can be nailed or stapled to the subfloor or installed as a floating floor, which doesn’t absorb sound as well due to the less dense plywood base.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood floors are quieter and have better acoustic properties than engineered hardwood. Their density absorbs sound and helps distribute it evenly throughout the room. Solid hardwood is attached to the subfloor, making it stable, though it may creak or squeak as the boards settle. Persistent creaking could indicate an uneven subfloor or installation issue.
Cost
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood tends to be more expensive than engineered hardwood, though factors like lifetime warranties, high-quality finishes, specialized textures, or artistic staining can increase its price.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is generally more affordable, though premium collections with thicker top layers, better durability, or unique designs can push the price closer to solid hardwood. These premium options may also offer better sanding and refinishing potential.
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Water resistance
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is more water-resistant than solid hardwood due to its stable plywood construction, which is less likely to warp in humid environments. However, it is not waterproof and should still be avoided in wet areas like bathrooms. Prolonged exposure to water can cause delamination.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood is not ideal for installation on concrete slabs or in wet areas, like bathrooms, as humidity can cause it to swell and warp. It should be kept dry to maintain its integrity.
Care and Cleaning
Engineered Hardwood
To clean engineered hardwood, sweep or vacuum daily. Damp-mop with a barely damp mop or an approved commercial cleaner once a season. Never steam clean engineered wood floors.
Solid Hardwood
Clean solid hardwood by sweeping, dry mopping, or vacuuming. Damp-mop only when necessary using an approved wood cleaner. Avoid steam-cleaning wood floors.
Which bed is better solid wood or engineered wood?
Solid wood beds are durable, long-lasting, and offer a timeless, natural look, but they are more expensive and require more maintenance. Engineered wood beds are more affordable, stable in different conditions, and lower-maintenance, though they may not last as long and lack the unique grain patterns of solid wood. The choice depends on your budget, desired durability, and maintenance preferences.
VINAWOOD – Vietnam Plywood Supplier Manufacturer
