Wood is one of the most gorgeous, flexible, adaptable, and desirable materials for flooring solutions. Wood has been used to make floors for centuries in homes, commercial and public buildings, and is in use till today. Ever since hardwood flooring was introduced it has become the most favorite flooring option all over the world and the popularity has only increased with the passage of time. Just like with every other thing in this universe, wood flooring also comes with its own unique set of obstacles and challenges which make it a difficult purchase for many homeowners and home buyers.
Fortunately, there is a practical alternative to traditional solid hardwood - engineered wood flooring. Engineered wood is a creative and pragmatic innovation which solves most of the problems posed by traditional solid hardwood. It looks the same as real wood but functions a lot better than that and can be used in wet areas like kitchens and washrooms as well. Let us understand the main features of engineered wood so that you can be in a better position to buy the right type of engineered wood needed for your home or project.
Engineered wood is manufactured using different layers of wood - plywood, a strong core, and an upper layer of hardwood veneer. The core of this type of flooring is created by using one of the strongest wood species like Oak or Walnut. Engineered wood flooring solutions offer a pretty wide selection to customers when it comes to the top layer of real wood that helps to define them. To find the right wood species for your home you need to consider two things - the wood tone of your home décor style and wood strength.
We have listed the most commonly used wood species when opting for engineered wooden floors. These are
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Oak: Oak is one the most popular wood species used for manufacturing engineered wood which can be used for flooring. Oak wood has a slightly red color tone and a pretty decent ranking for strength, durability, and robustness. If you are expecting a nominal foot fall and average wear and tear on your flooring surfaces, in that case oak makes for a great choice as the core of your engineered wood floors. Engineered oak flooring solutions can last for many decades and are hugely in demand.
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Maple: This wood species is stronger and more durable than oak wood. It has a natural bright and attractive colour which clearly distinguishes it from other wood species. If you are looking for something stronger and more robust than Oak, then maple would be an excellent choice. Highly recommended for areas which experience extensive foot fall and commercial traffic.
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Hickory Hickory wood is an excellent choice of core in making engineered wood flooring. This special type of wood species when compared to others has a higher level of natural resistance towards moisture and heat. Engineered wood flooring solutions with hickory wood species core are often recommended in places which can experience significant foot fall and frequent temperature and moisture level changes like wet areas, kitchens, and washrooms. Therefore, Hickory wood is popular with bespoke wood flooring where you can customize it as per your choice.
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Walnut: Walnut wood species is hard, heavy, resilient, and durable which makes it one of the best to be used for manufacturing engineered wood. It sports a highly decorative appearance with rich, vibrant colour variation and flowing grain patterns which complement almost any type of home décor. Just like Hickory, it has a higher natural resistance to contraction and expansion due to moisture and temperature changes and also to decay. Walnut is also one of the most expensive and sought-after wood species due to its natural rarity and availability.