Engineered Wood vs. Solid Wood - Which is Better?
Island Carpet prefers engineered wood because it is more stable and gives customers more choices. The two products are both made with real wood and have a similar price.
1.) Which product is more popular?
Engineered wood is used far more often than solid wood nowadays. It outperforms solid wood in terms of stability, and the two come in at about the same price. At Island Carpet, we sell and install solid wood when customers specifically ask for it, but for most purposes, we find that engineered wood works best.
2.) Does engineered wood look like solid wood?
Engineered wood, as the video below demonstrates, has solid wood as the top layer of the product. This means that engineered wood can have the same look as solid wood, but the wood substrate underneath makes it more stable and gives you a variety of installation options.
3.) What are some limitations of solid wood, compared to engineered wood?
Most often, solid wood can’t be glued to concrete and is prone to warping inwards when temperatures and the humidity fluctuate. If you’re looking for a wide plank look, engineered wood is always the right choice because it doesn’t have the same risk of warping. This is the reason that Island Carpet doesn’t install solid wood products wider than four inches.
4.) Can engineered wood be refinished?
Some types of engineered woods can’t be refinished, but there are plenty of styles that can withstand two or more refinishings. If the ability to refinish is a concern, Island Carpet is happy to help you find the product that will work the best for your home.
The popularity and stability of engineered wood means you’ll have a wider choice of widths and styles to choose from. Engineered wood can also look the same as solid wood, because it’s only the layers that are underneath that are a wood substrate. The only potential con to engineered wood is the ability to refinish, but Island Carpet has several styles of engineered wood that can withstand two or more refinishings.