Engineered Wood Flooring

Typically, the same material that is used for manufacturing lumber is used for engineered wood floors. Simply put, it’s a piece of plywood that is topped with a layer of real wood. Compared to a plank of solid wood, the amount of wood used is considerably less, which is why engineered wood is considered less costly and is also regarded as being environmentally friendly. Here are some major advantages of selecting engineered wood flooring.

It looks like real wood

Since engineered wood is made from real wood, it's as beautiful as solid hardwood! It is composed of several layers of wood that are glued together and covered with a thin plate of real hardwood on the surface.

By design, the wood will not contract because of changes in moisture levels and temperature. It can also be installed in rooms where the humidity level is important as in the kitchen. You must still clean up the damage as soon as possible to prevent excessive moisture from damaging the floors.

Engineered hardwood can be sanded and repaired to eliminate marks and bring floors back to their original state! The number of times these actions can be accomplished depends on the thickness of the wood.

Engineered is cheaper than other types of wood flooring. It is by choosing less popular hardwood species for the majority of the layers and keeping the desired species for the surface layers that the cost can be reduced.

As with solid hardwood flooring, a wide variety of species are available such as engineered oak, maple, ash and more. Choose from plank width, texture, luster and more!

Engineered hardwood floors will withstand normal wear and are resistant to water and moisture. This makes it ideal for use in commercial environments or in areas where you would want a robust flooring option that’s going to last you a long while without requiring excessive maintenance.

Engineered Wood Flooring Installation

Although in practice it is very easy to install an engineered planks, there are very important aspects to take into account that require experts to achieve the best benefits of the investment of our customers. Some important aspects that must be taken into account to install an engineered wood floor are:

- Levelling. The floor must be completely level so that the wooden floor looks straight. The wood is flexible and does not hide any unevenness, on the contrary it makes it more evident. So if the floor presents undulations or significant declines, it will be necessary to put a plywood base to hide all these defects.

- Moisture. You need to understand that the main enemy of wood is water. It must be avoided at all times and this does not exempt the installation. If the floor has a higher level of humidity, it is very important to identify the source of the humidity and repair it. If necessary, place waterproofing systems and apply sealants. Our installers will give you a solution to solve the problem of residual moisture when the source of it has already been repaired.

- Expansion Board. Like any physical body, these floors suffer from elongation, that is, they grow and decrease in accordance with environmental conditions. A good installation should consider these variations through an expansion joint on all the edges of the floor. This expansion joint is what makes the frame necessary so that it is not visible to floor users.

- Glue. In essence, there are several kinds of wood glue that apparently satisfy the assembly needs of the planks. This seems irrelevant because the staves have male and female sections and the assembly is very precise giving the impression that the glue is not so important. But this is not so. The combined time with the use, the natural elongation and the own movement of the wood must be counteracted with the best glue quality possible. At Lifestyle Flooring UK, we sell only the best quality of glue in order to ensure that your floors are firmly fixed in place.

Tips for Maintaining Your Floor

If you have just installed engineered wood floors, you should know how to maintain them well. If you don’t want the floors getting dirty

Soap - Simply add a little bubble bath to your mop water. that will give some shine to the planks and good odors will emerge.

Dishwasher rinse agent - You want your wood floor to shine and dry quickly after cleaning? Add to your water a few drops of dishwasher rinse agent.

Vinegar and Murphy soap - Mix in 4 liters of water 1 cup of vinegar and a little Blanchon Natural Soap to make your hardwood floor begin to sparkle.

Peanut butter for scratches - Apply peanut butter on cracks and scratches and remove excess dirt.

Micro-fibers to clean the floor - It is often recommended to use a micro-fiber mop rather than the traditional mop.

Moisten the floor - It is best not to wash the engineered floor with water. It is better to moisten the floor before washing instead of throwing water on it.

Dry well - After washing the floor, always wipe it clean. You can use a dry microfiber cloth or mop to do it.

Vacuuming - Before you start cleaning, vacuum your floor to remove dust and hairs as they grease the floor.

Gentle and neutral soap - Always use a mild, neutral soap that will not leave residues.

Vinegar as a cleanser - Vinegar is also recommended for washing wooden floors. On the other hand, you have to put very little in the water to get the desired effect.

At Lifestyle Flooring UK, we offer a wide range of different floors. Here are just a few of the many options available in our engineered wood floors collection to choose from.