What to Know About Engineered Hardwood Flooring in Santa Cruz, CA

Engineered hardwood floors were first developed in the 1960s. Initially, they tended to be scoffed at because they didn’t particularly resemble wood. But over time, as the manufacturing technologies used to create these floors have improved, so too has their appearance. Today, about 30 percent of all wood flooring sold in America is actually engineered wood, in a variety of species and different surface effects.

Here are just a few of the essential pieces of information you should know about engineered hardwood flooring in Santa Cruz, CA:

• Cost: You can expect engineered hardwood floors to cost about 20 percent more than solid, unfinished boards, but that money is usually more than made back through staining, sealing and installation. Expect to pay anywhere from $3 to $14 per square foot for engineered boards.
• Durability: Typically warranties for engineered boards will last 10 to 30 years under “normal wear,” meaning a family and a dog. Most sources you’ll find for engineered boards provide you with lifetime warranties against damage to the veneer.
• Maintenance: You can easily clean your engineered wood floor with a microfiber cloth and a wood floor cleaner. This is a reliable method to get rid of any dirt that scratches the finish and shortens the life of the floor.

Places to install engineered hardwood

The general rule of thumb is that you can install engineered hardwood in Santa Cruz, CA pretty much any place you’d put regular solid wood, plus some additional places where wood wouldn’t be ideal.

For example, basements are often horrible places for solid wood flooring, because the moisture that tends to build up there will do a significant amount of damage to it. However, the veneer layers that are used in engineered boards create a plywood-like crisscross pattern, which means you don’t have to worry as much about the expansion and contraction of the board in humid areas as you would with standard wood.

Engineered boards are also good over radiant heat sources, because they transfer heat much better than thick solid wood. Floating floors are your best option here, because they don’t require the use of any nails or staples that could potentially damage hot water tubes or wires. Check with the manufacturer of your radiant heating system before using an underlayment made of foam, as this could potentially interfere with the heat flow.

However, you should still avoid using engineered floors in areas that get too moist, including bathrooms. While engineered wood is more water resistant than regular wood, it still has its limitations, and the extreme humidity, frequency of steam and drips and exposure to other dampness could be a bit too much for your engineered wood floor to handle.

Finally, keep in mind that the harder the top layer of the wood, the more durable it will be and the more it’ll hold up to potential dents, dings and scratches.

For more information about using engineered hardwood flooring in Santa Cruz, CA, we encourage you to contact The Wholesale House today.

Categorised in: Engineered Hardwood

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