Solid or Engineered – which one is right for you?
So how can you answer this question – solid or engineered – which one is right for you.
Dimensions
Most people researching solid wood floors and engineered hardwood flooring might not realize that the dimensions of the widths and lengths can be quite different for a an engineered floor – depending on the manufacturer you are working with. For example, 90% of the floors available today as an engineered wood flooring product are only up to 6′ long and average about 2′ long. Likewise they tend to be no wider than 4-5″ wide. Using very short, narrow pieces will result in alot more seams in your floor – which will make your room and your overall space look very busy.
The Carlisle Difference: If you are considering a Carlisle floor for your home you will be glad to learn that our engineered wood floors come in the same long lengths as our solid wood floors – up to 10″ wide and up to 12′ long! Making it some of the widest and longest engineered floors on the market.
Endless Inspiration for the Floor of Your Dreams
GET DESIGN BOOKThickness
Engineered wood flooring comes in a variety of thicknesses, some as thin as a few sheets of paper. While this might present a very economical solution for a potential customer these thin engineered floors don’t last long, so your cost of ownership is here because thinner floors will wear faster and need to be replaced more frequently.
The Carlisle Difference: Carlisle engineered floors are 3/4″ thick just like our solid wood floors.
Wear Layer
The wear layer of your floor refers to the material above the tongue and groove – the part that you walk on. Like the thickness of your floor, the wear layer of an engineered wood floor can be much thinner than a solid wood floor. For example, some engineered wood floors are only 3 sheets of paper thick. This means that the wear layer of your floor will wear very quickly, it cannot be refinished or sanded, thus your floor will need to be replaced more frequently.
The Carlisle Difference – the wear layer of our engineered floors are 3/16″ thick just like our solid wood floors.
Your Preferences, Your Jobsite, Your Installation
Some people choose solid or engineered wood floors based on aesthetics – as noted above – but the most critical factor to deciding between solid or engineered is the type of home you live in and your preferences to the performance of your floor from season to season. It can also depend on what type of installation you are performing and by whom.
– Do you like a floor that acquires expansion gaps from season to season which can highlight the wide widths
– Do you prefer a floor with very little expansion and contraction
– Will you live in your home year round or is it a season home
– What type of wood are you interested in – hardwood or pine
– What type of installation are you considering – at, above or below grade, concrete slab, radiant heat or plywood
– Who will be doing the installation
The Carlisle Difference: If you need help answering these questions call at 800-595-9663 and speak to a Wide Plank Specialist.