| In discussions about laminated vs engineered floor | | | | flooring? |
| some might like to put engineered hardwood in the | | | | The answer is easy. Condominium dwellers have |
| laminate flooring category. Some might suggest | | | | cement floors, likewise for those sophisticated |
| engineered is just an inferior version of solid strip | | | | builders that install in-floor heating systems on poured |
| hardwood flooring. But in reality it is neither. In fact, | | | | cement foundations. Standard Strip flooring cannot be |
| the original engineered hardwood floor was a | | | | nailed over a cement slab. Engineered floors offered |
| sophisticated answer for difficult installation | | | | a solution. They are designed for glue down or |
| environments, environments where solid wood could | | | | floating applications so that clients get a real wood |
| not be used. | | | | floor with a design that fits their installation needs. |
| It was designed for the wood snob, those that | | | | Now that's not all that is great about engineered |
| enjoyed fine wine and had an Audi parked in the | | | | hardwood flooring. Its greater dimensional stability |
| driveway, clients that owned high rise condominiums | | | | also allows it to be installed in a basement, or |
| in exotic locations. They decorated with silk Venetian | | | | adjoining sun rooms. It is the perfect answer for |
| blinds, and cultured marble fixtures. For their floors | | | | decorative borders. It offers wide plank options that |
| they were looking for real wood with all its subtleties | | | | would not be wise in environments where the |
| of colour and richness of grain. These clients wanted | | | | humidity is in constant flux. |
| the Real Thing but couldn't install it! | | | | So sure you can put in laminate flooring but that's not |
| Suggesting a laminate floor for them, was like saying | | | | the real thing! Engineered hardwood flooring is a |
| all wine is "fine" and all cars are a Lamborghini! | | | | solution that allows you to install real wood in areas |
| Laminate flooring is made by taking a picture of a | | | | where solid strip hardwood is not suitable. So in a |
| real wood and reproducing it photographically on the | | | | comparison of laminated vs engineered floor, these |
| surface of plywood. It offers some great features | | | | are two different products like buying ceramic tile |
| (and some poor ones) but it's not the real thing, any | | | | versus real marble slabs. Your choice! |
| more that U-brew can equate to a find bottle of | | | | Having said all that, the actual construction of an |
| Australian Shiraz. | | | | engineered floor can be flawed or fantastic, just |
| So engineered hardwood flooring came to be! Wood | | | | depending on who and where it was made. It is |
| techies took a slice of real wood, whether that be a | | | | critically important to know what to look for. |
| traditional American red oak or an exotic wood like | | | | Some of the more recent entries into the engineered |
| Brazilian cherry and found a way to adhere it to a | | | | flooring market have been made with an eye to |
| wood underlay. But why would you bother? Why | | | | saving money and not with the original intend to |
| couldn't these clients just use regular strip hardwood | | | | produce a superior dimensionally stable product. |