8 Best Engineered Hardwood Flooring – Top Picks Reviewed

Wood flooring has two main types: solid wood and engineered wood. Engineered wood flooring is real wood flooring like solid hardwood. It is a solid wood coating over layers of sturdy plywood.

A top-of-the-line engineered hardwood flooring is the most inexpensive and widespread option among many flooring options.

Engineered wood flooring was made to manage some issues related to hardwood floors. Hardwood floors deform in moist conditions or maximum temperatures, and their installation has some limitations.

That is why engineered wood flooring is considered best for basements or rooms with an intense heating system on the floor.

To know whether engineered hardwood is a good option, let’s read the details in this article. Keep reading to discover all the information you need to know before installing a high-quality hardwood flooring.

Things to Consider When Choosing Best Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring looks like genuine solid hardwood flooring. To pick the best engineered wood flooring, some things should be considered.

While shopping for this flexible flooring option, some considerations should be kept in mind.

Veneer Wear Layer

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The top surface of engineered wood floors has a veneer wear layer. However, solid hardwood does not have this layer. The veneer wear layer is the top layer of the floor that you use to walk, play, and put furniture.

Furthermore, it is made of hardwood, which is why you get engineered wood flooring in the same species and shades as solid wood.

Top engineered hardwood floors are mostly made of oak, maple, mahogany, bamboo, and more. There are different products according to the veneer layer’s thickness.

Additionally, floors with thicker veneer layer can be refinished in case of damage. Some best-engineered hardwood flooring has a veneer layer with aluminum oxide finish.

Aluminum oxide is a naturally occurring compound that makes the veneer layer more durable and scratch-resistant. These floors can not be refinished.

Core Layer

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The core layer is the lower layer than the veneer layer. Core layers are made from various materials by best-engineered wood flooring manufacturers.

In good quality flooring, the plywood core has seven to eleven layers of wood. The layers in the core are called plys. The more plys the floor has, the more durable and long-lasting it will be.

High-density fiberboard core engineered wood flooring is also available. These engineered floors are cheaper than plywood.

High-density fiberboard cores are firm but absorb moisture. Some engineered floor’s core layers are made of strips of softwood.

Dimensions and Installation Options

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Engineered wood flooring comes in different width sizes. Some have traditional sizes in the 4-inch range, and farmhouse-style sizes are 7 inches wide.

Most engineered wood flooring comes in a 5-inch size, which is ideal because it is less at risk of cupping than wider boards.

In addition to that, engineered wood flooring has different sizes of lengths, and this gives the installation a hand-crafted look.

Installing engineered hardwood flooring depends on the product. Some need nailing or glue to install, and others need floating on the subfloor.

Maintenance

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Maintenance of engineered wood flooring is the same as solid hardwood floor because the veneer layer is hardwood.

The products you use for cleaning a solid hardwood floor can be used to clean an engineered hardwood floor.

The veneer layer is thicker than 2 millimeters and has no aluminum oxide layer that DIYers can refinish. You can easily sand the scratches in the veneer and apply a fresh coat of sealing product to refinish the floor.

Moisture Resistance

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Engineered wood floors are different from laminate floors as they are not water-resistance as laminate. They absorb humidity like hardwood floors, so clean the spills as soon as possible.

Reviews of Best Engineered Wood Flooring Brands

Solid hardwood flooring brands are dropping as engineered hardwood is becoming popular. The stronger engineered wood flooring brands are easier to identify because the weaker brands cannot carry on the competition.

Engineered best wood flooring options are given below.

1. Hurst Hardwoods

   Hurst Hardwoods is a popular, trusted brand. Workers and owners of homes are satisfied with this brand. It is a member of the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA).

   

   The warranty of the Hurst Hardwood engineered floor is 30-year. The warranty will be canceled if the flooring is installed over intense heating.

2. Kahrs

   High-quality products are offered by Kahrs. This brand offers products with an excellent locking system which have tight joints. The main production factory is in Sweden. It has small factories in Romania, Poland, and China.

   Moerover, trees like American Cherry, North American Maple, and Walnut are used by Kahrs from North America.

   

   The brand manufactures everything in Sweden, but ash and beech products are manufactured in Scandinavia. South America’s exotic woods like Brazilian cherry are sourced in Sweden.

   Kahrs companies are environmental-friendly. They harvest trees with reliability and replanting. This company gives importance to reliability and is environmentally friendly.

3. Mohawk

   Mohawk is the leading flooring company in the world. A large variety of engineered wood is available with this company.

   It offers almost 800 products with different thicknesses, species, and widths. A wide variety of finishes can be picked that this company offers.

   

   This company has a huge size and reach. Its products are available everywhere. You can find them in Home Depot or a small local home improvement store.

   Mohawk also offers a wide range of decorations and trims. Their vinyl and laminate floorings are also quite remarkable.

4. Shaw

   Shaw floors can be found in big stores or small shops. There are many things you can select.

   Many different species like pine, maple, birch, and oak hardwood flooring are available in this company. It offers a long list of textured finishes.

   

   Both modern and traditional looks can be achieved from this brand. It has different methods of installation like glued, nailed, or click-together.

   You can check out Shaw floor reviews to get some idea about their performance and prices.

5. Armstrong

   Armstrong is a very old company with a wide knowledge of flooring. Of 145 engineered wood floors, 34 are made in North America.

   A variety of engineered wood selections are available. Different ranges of colors, textured finishes, and species are there.

   

   Pick according to the thicknesses of veneer and layers of a plywood core. Its installation has different ways like click-together, glued, or nailed. If you want to install by a DIY route, you can visit its official website.

6. Anderson Tuftex Hardwood

   Anderson Tuftex Hardwood has reached the standard of the industry. It has made a system of cross-lock to install engineered wood flooring.

   

   In alternating directions, 5 wood plies are laid. This makes a sturdy and long-lasting plank.

7. Lauzon Flooring

   The Canadian brand Lauzon flooring focuses on being environmentally friendly. It offers a lot of supportable forest management and careful harvesting performance.

   

   Lauzon flooring deals with exotic wood and domestic species. There are 12 different series in 3 collections, but each has different features.

   Its designer collection has good quality exotic and domestic wood species in different shades.

8. Pergo

   Pergo is the company which has created white laminate flooring. In 1970, it developed the idea of laminate, but now it is a large manufacturer of both.

   You can select from hickory, maple, and oak flooring. Light, medium, and dark shades are available in it. Hand-scraped, smooth, and wire-brushed finishes options are also available with this company.

   

   The company has gained a lot of popularity for its waterproof flooring and a special type of flooring called Pergo timber craft flooring.

   The reviews of pergo waterproof flooring and Pergo timber craft floors are amazing and are performing quite well in the market.

Pros & Cons of Engineered Hardwood Floors

Advantages

• You can easily install it over concrete
• It can be installed in different ways
• Moisture-resistant
• Raises resale value
• It can be refinished
• Trend-proof – Never goes out of style
• Compatible with radiant heating system

Disadvantages

• It fades if exposed to ultraviolet rays
• Poor-quality core construction

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

Which Engineered Wood Floor Is Best?

The best-engineered wood floor has a plywood core which has more versatility. A durable engineered wood floor has three to nine more layers of finish beside the plywood core.

Is a Thicker Engineered Wood Floor Best?

In a high-traffic area, the engineered wood flooring should be thicker board. A thicker board can be re-sanded or re-finished as required.

What Is the Best Thickness for Engineered Wood Flooring?

The best thickness for an engineered wood flooring should be a maximum of 15 mm.

What Are the Disadvantages of Engineered Wood Flooring?

Ahead are some of the disadvantages of engineered wood floors:

• With continued exposure to sunlight rays, engineered wood is at risk of fading
• Scratches and scuffs easily
• Low humidity resistance
• Low-quality core construction
• Costly
• Requires maintenance
• Low damage resistance
• Existence of toxic substances

What Is the Most Scratch-Resistant Wood Flooring?

White oak, hard maple, or hickory flooring are scratch-resistant.

How Can You Tell the Quality of Engineered Hardwood?

The quality of engineered hardwood flooring can be guessed by checking the thickness of the wear layer of the wood. Wear layer of wood consists of the layers in the core and the number of finish coats.

Is Luxury Vinyl Plank Better than Engineered Hardwood?

Luxury vinyl plank is better for high humid areas because it is water-resistant. This is also less costly than engineered wood.

Is It Better to Glue or Float an Engineered Wood Floor?

If you install engineered wood flooring, floating is the best option because it can be installed quickly. If you are installing hardwood flooring, glue is the best option.

Is Pergo Engineered Hardwood?

Pergo flooring is an engineered hardwood flooring product manufacturer.

Conclusion

If you have selected engineered hardwood flooring, you made the right decision. Engineered hardwood flooring looks like a hardwood floor with the flexibility of vinyl and laminate.

When choosing the type of wood, consider the material durability. Get the floors that last longer.

Nevertheless, the information given in this guide will help you pick the right engineered hardwood floor for you. Select a high-quality wood, as quality is an essential factor.

Make sure which qualities you want in engineered hardwood flooring. I hope this article will be helpful for you in finding the best-engineered hardwood flooring.