Engineered wood flooring consists of plywood, HDF, or softwood, combined with a layer of hardwood. The durable nature of engineered wood means that it should last for at least 25 to 30 years before needing replaced.
Cons of Engineered Wood Floors
Require special care: These floors cannot be cleaned the same way hardwood floors can be. Only use engineered specific cleaning products. Not as Thick: With only a single thin layer of true hardwood, they can scratch and become damaged more easily.
So, when all is said and done, refinishing hardwood is definitely the more affordable option. Even if it requires removing a few severely damaged planks here and there, refinishing will generally always be less costly than tearing out the entire floor.
Refinishing engineered hardwood floors is ideal if your wear layer is thick. You may be able to refinish your flooring up to three times if the wear layer measures at least three millimeters thick. A wear layer that's less than two-millimeter thick can sustain damage if you refinish it more than once.
As with many other products, a certain amount of maintenance is required to keep a floor in good condition. With proper maintenance, your engineered wood floor will retain its beauty for years to come.
Engineered hardwood flooring is more water-resistant than solid hardwood, but excessive moisture can still cause stains or warping.
Engineered Hardwood Floors
Though durable on the surface, engineered hardwoods are bonded using adhesives, and the steam cleaning can affect the quality of those adhesives. Moisture can seep between the layers, weakening the bond and permanently damaging the floors. Avoid using steam mops on engineered hardwood floors.
Despite the fact that they will scratch and dent similar to solid hardwood flooring but you can either consider this as adding character to the floors, or you can fix the scratches or refinish the floors; so you get the benefits of various flooring types.
Engineered wood flooring consists of a hardwood top layer glued to a base layer that often consists of plywood or OSB (oriented strand board). Because of this design, engineered wood looks virtually the same as traditional hardwood once installed.
This is done easily if you have engineered hardwood flooring glued down but you can still do it with solid wood flooring. The replacement board is then replaced carefully using adhesive and as you can see no one would know it had been replaced.
Engineered wood floors are “fake” and “cheap” compared to solid wood floors. For some of the very inexpensive engineered floors, this might be true. But a quality engineered floor will look and feel exactly like a high-quality solid hardwood floor.
Overall, engineered hardwood offers a more natural feel as well as longer durability, making it the better investment option in the long run. However, if budget is your primary concern, laminate can be a great choice with its lower price tag and ease of installation.
Opening a window while cooking will also help to dispel heat and moisture, protecting your wood floor. When it comes to choosing a type of wood for the kitchen, engineered is a great option as it has a multi-layered construction which provides good stability in changing conditions.
Rooms with higher foot traffic could use a mop about once a week, while less-used areas probably only need it once a month. Additionally, if your engineered hardwood floor begins to dull, it's time to bring out the mop. Always keep your mop or cloth slightly damp rather than wet.
Both engineered wood floors and solid wood floors require about the same level of maintenance, though the former is more resistant to temperature and moisture and the latter usually lasts longer.
Among all the most important questions that potential buyers often have is how many times engineered hardwood floors can be refinished. The answer actually varies depending on many factors. In general, most engineered hardwood floors can be refinished 1-3 times at most before they need to be replaced.
What is very important is to make sure you are diluting the vinegar enough. Straight vinegar will damage the hardwood, so you must ensure that you use 1 cup of white vinegar in 2 gallons of lukewarm water. This solution is strong enough to clean without being too harsh for the floor.
Avoid using cleaning products that include vinegar, soap-based cleaners or wax on engineered hardwood flooring. These could erode or damage the veneer surface on the upper layer of hardwood. Never clean with steel wool, melamine sponges or a steam cleaner, as these could also leave behind irreversible wear and tear.
Distilled white vinegar is a common household item that can remove layers of dark water stains on hardwood floors. Soak a rag in white distilled vinegar and place it on any stained area for five to ten minutes.
As an alternative to a traditional mop, you could create a mixture of water and liquid dish soap and spray it over your floor. Using a terry cloth, or microfiber cloth, wipe down your floors. This process will leave your floors streak-free and the cloth will pick up all of the dirt and dust on your floors.
DEEP CLEAN OF ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORS
When I want to deep clean my engineered wood floors, I use BONA Hardwood Floor Cleaner with the BONA Microfiber Mop! This is the ONLY product I trust on my wood floors! Let's just say I learned the hard way what products NOT to use on my wood floors!