Have you ever thought about the disadvantages of engineered wood flooring? Typically, engineered wood flooring is regarded as the best option due to its number of features. When natural wood is enhanced by extra density and usability, engineered wood flooring is often considered the best. But, engineered wood flooring is also associated with certain disadvantages. Let’s understand more about some of the disadvantages of engineered wood flooring that should be avoided from this article.
What is engineered wood flooring
What is engineered wood flooring? Engineered wood flooring is a kind of floorings that are made up of several layers of wood veneer bonded to a core constructed from other materials such as plywood or medium density fiberboard. As a result, there is no change in its size when subjected to variations in temperature and humidity conditions. engineered hardwood can be used for many more applications and is ideal for any region, especially those that are comparatively more humid; it provides the luxury as well as richness that is inherent in hardwood floorings.
Disadvantages of Engineered Wood Flooring
The kind of wood flooring described as engineered wood may be best explained as a floor created by laminating wooden material layers. It cannot be used in a space such as a bathroom due to the fact that floor tile is more sensitive to water as compared to other types of flooring.The surface may become worn down over time and become less sandable than solid wood floors. Moreover, some people may find that it doesn’t feel or look as good as real wood, and it can be expensive. Some disadvantages of engineered wood flooring highlighted below.
Lifespan
A major drawback of engineered wood flooring is that it may not have the durability like solid wood flooring. Its total lifespan is low because it cannot be sanded and refinished as often as solid wood floors after the surface is used up. Consequently although engineered wood flooring is strong, its lifespan may not match that of solid wood alternatives.
Water Resistance
Water resistance is one drawback of engineered wood flooring. Water can still harm engineered wood, despite the fact that it is more stable than solid wood. However, water can still damage engineered wood even though it is more resistant than regular solid wood. For areas that involve much humidity, such as the wash rooms or basements, this makes it a poor choice. Therefore, though more resistant to water than solid wood, it is not resistant to heavy moisture damage.
Underfloor Heating Compatibility
The main disadvantage of engineered wood flooring is the possibility to have poor compatibility with other types of floor heating systems, such as underfloor heating. However, this is not true for all engineered wooden floors because some are designed to be used with underfloor heating. The heat could affect the flooring in a way that would make it bend or the layers to separate if the flooring is not designed to be used with underfloor heating. Incompatibilities between the floor and the heating system may include warping or separation of the different layers of wood. This therefore means that if you wish to avoid future problems, you should be very careful while choosing engineered wood flooring for areas that have underfloor heating.
Engineered Wood Is Not Waterproof
Another negative effect of engineered wood flooring is that it is not waterproof. It is less moisture sensitive than solid wood however; it is not immune to water damage. Saturated when too wet, the layers may swell, warp or even separate depending on the nature of the materials used in its construction. This makes it a bad option for areas that experience food spills and water splashes such as the kitchen and the bathroom. It is not suitable for areas that may likely be very wet even though it can withstand some measure of wetness.
Conclusion
Let’s sum up by saying that while engineered flooring has a few drawbacks, like a short lifespan, poor waterproofing, and possible underfloor heating problems, it’s essential to balance these disadvantages of engineered flooring. The beauty of real wood flooring is enhanced by added stability and simpler installation with engineered wood flooring. For the quest, why choose engineered wood flooring? It can be an excellent choice for a variety of settings, but be sure to take into account its drawbacks and whether it will work for your particular requirements and setting.