Engineered flooring has undoubtedly become more popular in the UK, but it’s improved considerably too, not just in terms of appearance, but also strength and acoustics. With high quality engineered flooring, you have the look and feel of real oak, but at a cheaper cost, while there is no warping like there is with solid oak, so surely it makes perfect sense for most people right?
We know, you’ve probably heard this all before, but engineered oak does have some drawbacks, especially concerning:
Cleaning and maintenance
Hardwood flooring of any kind will take quite a lot of maintenance to stay its shine and lustre. Engineered wood is not any different during this respect, therefore not particularly suitable to home’s with pets or young children unless you’re prepared to stay up with regular maintenance.
Weaker than solid oak
There are tons of variety to engineered hardwood flooring, and a few producers will use rock bottom and weak materials to create their flooring. It’d look good on the surface, but you may find it to be a tad more weak and unstable than you would have liked, after just a brief time. Do your research when buying engineered hardwood flooring to make sure you’re buying from a high-quality manufacturer.
Prone to fading
This is another disadvantage you ought to be aware of. Engineered hardwood can fade over time, especially if it receives an excessive amount of contact with UV rays, as this will cause the wood to decay and this isn’t a hindrance which will be easily fixed if left for too long. Thankfully you’ll minimise the danger of fading buy keeping your curtains/ blinds closed or using some rugs to hide more vulnerable areas.
That said, we need to weight out each of these potential disadvantages with some of the key advantages. Engineered flooring is affordable and stylish. While the typical hardwood floor is incredibly sought after, it’s labelled the “real deal” but you can get many of the same qualities and appearance with engineered, and it is not usually as expensive. Engineered hardwood flooring is the perfect middle ground. It’s costlier than imitation laminate or vinyl, as these are both very cheap options, but not as expensive as traditional hardwood.
Unlike imitation laminate or vinyl though engineered hardwood is that the same in appearance and texture to traditional hardwood, but it’ll often be cheaper. Engineered hardwood will look an equivalent as conventional hardwood flooring on the surface, so it’s incredibly stylish. It’s also available during several finishes. So if you’ve got a specific wood you’re keen on you’ll likely find it available in an engineered form. The greatest appeal of hardwood flooring is its timeless look which are some things you’ll get with an engineered wooden floor. Engineered oak flooring is far and away the foremost popular wood floor; this comes during a multitude of finishes and hues.
