Engineered vs. Solid Wood Flooring: What’s the Difference?
When choosing wood flooring, it often comes down to two main options: solid wood and engineered wood. Both offer warmth, natural beauty, and durability, but they differ in construction, performance, installation, and cost. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences to help you decide which is right for your home.
Construction and Composition of Wooden Flooring
Solid Wood Flooring
Single-Piece Planks: Each plank is milled from a single piece of hardwood (like oak, maple, or walnut), typically ¾" thick.
Uniform Material: Because it’s one solid piece of timber from top to bottom, you’re seeing the same wood species—and grain—throughout the entire thickness.
Engineered Wood Flooring
Layered Structure: An engineered plank consists of a thin “veneer”(top layer) of rea...