• Free Estimate Request
• Project Gallery

The Difference Between Traditional Hardwood and Engineered Hardwood

When it comes to the type of wood flooring you choose to install in your Kansas city area home, make sure you’ve done your homework. Many people aren’t aware that there are so many different choices to make when it comes to installing hardwood floors in your home. You need to choose a wood species, the type of stain, and style of finish. It can be a lot of work, so some people choose to install pre-finished or engineered hardwood flooring instead of the traditional type. But you’re not always getting quite what you think you are when you choose some of these hardwood alternatives. The flooring experts at Kenny’s Tile give you a breakdown of what to expect with these choices.

Prefinished Hardwood Flooring Is More Time Effective

Prefinished wood flooring is similar to traditional hardwood flooring, except for a few small things. The biggest difference being that the solid wood planks are finished prior to being installed in your Kansas City area home. This means they are completely ready to go once installed-no sanding, staining or sealing needed. This also means that the installation process is much quicker than with traditional hardwood floors. The great thing is that these floors are still solid wood. They can be re-sanded later on down the road, but it’s more difficult than traditionally installed and stained hardwood floors. The convenience factor of these floors does make them more expensive than unfinished hardwood flooring, though.

Find out more and read our Frequently Asked Questions on different hardwood flooring options at Kenny’s Tile.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring Is Less Expensive, But for a Reason

Engineered floors, like prefinished floors, can be installed quickly, but other than that they are very different from traditional hardwood. These floors are compiled of layers of plywood and other woods that are glued and pressure bound together, and then that is topped off with a veneer of ⅛ inch to ¼ inch of real wood. This gives the illusion of real hardwood floors, but they act much differently. Engineered wood floors cannot be refinished several times like traditional and pre-finished hardwood floors, which also means that their lifespan is much shorter. Traditional hardwood floors, on the other hand, can last you upwards of 30 years and can add so much value to your home. So, while engineered hardwood floors are more convenient to install in your home, they won’t give you the same beauty and character that a traditional hardwood floor will give you, and they will only last a small portion of the time.