Engineered vs Solid Oak Wood (You Know You Want This)

 

Hey there everyone, welcome to the second installment of our new You Know You Want This video series! With this series, we’re going to offer up some awesome tips and tricks for improving your home, as well as some renovations that a professional remodeler and builder can get done for you! Today, we’re comparing engineered and solid oak wood planks. Josh goes into the pros and cons of each and gives you his recommendation!

Engineered vs Solid Oak Wood

Engineered Wood

Engineered wood is built up with multiple layers of pressed material. The top layer being actual oak in this case, which can be sanded, finished, re-finished, or whatever else you can do with regular wood flooring. It tends to be more stable and flexible when it comes to moisture and humidity. The multiple layers or plies are laid perpendicularly from each other, one on top of the other, giving it extra movement and flexibility. 

Solid Oak

Solid hard wood becomes a bit harder to control when it comes to managing the elements. The solid oak plank in this case is likely going to move and warp however it wants to. In Minnesota where we have humid summers, and very dry winters, that introduces a lot of temperature and moisture changes. If the wood gets moisture on top or on the bottom, it can curl or curve on top. This can give you a very interesting floor pattern, waving up and down, giving you an uneven floor. Probably not what you want in your home! 

Our Recommendation

Based on the analysis of the two types of oak flooring, we believe that based on the climate we have here, and to avoid any water or moisture issues the engineered oak is your best bet. It can give you the same beautiful finish, can be re-worked later on, and give you peace of mind. If you didn’t notice in our video, we also recommend you stop by Bunny’s.

Contact Us for your flooring questions, more information, or just to chat!