engineered vs. solid hardwood

our engineered and solid hardwood options are both made using real, natural wood, so what’s the difference?

while our solid hardwood floors are milled from a single board of raw lumber, our engineered floors are made by adhering a thin slice of natural hardwood to a plywood substrate. both are milled to 3/4” thickness, but the engineered typically has a 4mm to 6mm wear layer of solid wood.

because the surface of both the solid and engineered options is natural wood, they are virtually indistinguishable. so why choose one over the other?

a solid hardwood floor can be sanded 3-4 times during its lifespan, while an engineered floor usually has 2-3 sandings. let’s not overlook the romance of a solid hardwood floor, made from a single natural material in much the same way as hardwood flooring was made centuries ago.

because wood is a natural material, a solid hardwood floor will expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity.

because of their plywood substrate, engineered floors are seen as being more stable than solid hardwood. their construction makes them more suitable for installation over concrete, as well as in coastal sites with high relative humidity.

whereas solid hardwood floors are typically nailed directly to joists or to a plywood subfloor, engineered floors can be glued to concrete, or glued and nailed to plywood.

when it comes to appearance, we’ll let you be the judge: there are photos of two beautiful wide plank white oak floors on this page, one solid and one engineered. if you can’t tell which is which, why should we?