Solid or Engineered Wood Flooring

Are you unsure about whether to go for solid or engineered wood flooring? Here we will explain some of the differences between the two and help you to decide which option is best for you.

High End Solid Wood Flooring

The solid wood flooring that we supply and install at RJ Flooring is very high quality and gives an excellent finish to any property, it is a natural product that has been used to enhance interiors for centuries. It is versatile, hard wearing and has a natural beauty that cant be replicated and, in most situations, there are no issues with using solid timber flooring. We don’t, however, recommend using solid wood flooring in wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms

Versatile Engineered Wood Floors

We recommend using engineered wood flooring in most situations, it is a superior product to solid wood flooring and once it has been fitted you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two, though engineered wood floors tend to be wider boards, whereas solid oak floors tend to be narrower boards, to avoid cupping. Where we would be most likely recommend using engineered wood is when its being in kitchens, bathrooms or where underfloor heating and/or a wood burner is present. This is because engineered wood handles heat and moisture much better that solid wood, which is prone to warping and twisting in such conditions and can cause serious problems in the medium/long term. Engineered wood is quickly overtaking solid wood as the product of choice. Our 20mm thick engineered wood flooring has a 6mm solid oak wear layer and can be sanded and re-finished many, many times. Once it is fitted it is practically identical to a solid wood floor and just as impressive.

Also if you like wider floorboards (which really show off the natural character of the wood) we recommend using engineered wood they will permanently stay flat, where wider solid wood boards can be prone to cupping and warping, especially in high heat and moisture content areas. We can supply engineered flooring up to 300mm in width with certain floor options.