Engineered Wood Flooring Vs Solid Hardwood Flooring: Everything You Need To Know
Whether you’re looking to redecorate your entire home or just spruce up a few rooms, it’s good to understand what your options are in terms of what materials you’d like to use.
While you’re weighing up your options for what flooring you’re going to use in your home, you may have considered using wood. Wooden flooring can deter some homeowners because it’s perceived to be expensive, too much hassle to maintain and there are limited style options.
Subsequently, this can put people off wood flooring entirely when in fact, the opposite is true here. That’s why we’ve put together this useful guide to help you understand the wide array of options in front of you when it comes to wooden flooring.
Why Choose Wood Flooring?
Aesthetically, wood can be very complementary to a room’s look and feel. For example, a lighter finish could be what you need to create that neat, warm and welcoming feel, or if you’re looking to set a more relaxed tone in a room, a wooden floor with a darker finish may be the key ingredient that you’re missing.
Wood flooring is also very easy to keep looking clean. Furthermore, most wood floors if kept in good condition, wooden flooring can last a lifetime.
Engineered Wood Flooring vs Hardwood Flooring
What some people don’t realise is that there is a variety of choices for wood floor materials, but one thing we are often asked is which one is best. We’re happy to shed some light on the difference between them to help you make a more informed decision.
What is Hardwood Flooring?
Hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of timber and offers a luxurious alternative to laminate flooring or carpets. Planks that are made from oak or maple are very hard-wearing can be resilient, ideal for coping with a household that is busier than most or that has pets.
However, the more durable species of wood are unfortunately the more expensive, but if you’re looking to capture the hardwood floor look on a budget, pine is a great alternative that would be worth exploring.
What Is Engineered Flooring?
Engineered flooring is made up of multiple layers of material topped with a layer of real wood. As a result, engineered wood is less susceptible to warping and shrinking under changes in the environment. Engineered wood costs less than a complete hardwood floor, but still offers the same aesthetic.
How To Care For Wooden Flooring
In order to keep your wooden floor and looking as nice as the day it was fitted, you need to educate yourself on how to take care of it going forward.
Wooden floors are prone to scratches and dents, so you will have to take extra steps to ensure that you keep your floor looking brand new. Here are a few tips of what you can do:
Remove shoes before walking on the floor, this will reduce the risk of dirt that can cause scratches
Add felt or rubber pads to the base of any furniture, this will help prevent damage if you decide to rearrange the layout of your room.
You should also take special care when cleaning your wooden floor, as regular cleaning methods can damage the wood and cause it to warp or misshape. Here are some tips for keeping a pristine wooden floor:
Regularly sweep away any dust and dirt using with a hard-bristled brush
Use a microfibre cloth or mop to wipe the floor with special wood floor cleaning spray
Do not use a steam mop, and do not soak the wooden boards with water
Clean up any spills immediately, otherwise, they will soak into the wood and potentially leave a stain.
We supply Sheffield and the rest of South Yorkshire with the best quality wood flooring and carpets and affordable prices. If you’re looking to redecorate your home, call us on 0114 255 5553 or visit our showroom to see our range of carpets and floors. We also offer home visits free-of-charge to where one of our expert team will help you pick the perfect carpet for your home.