Engineered Wood

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Is a product made up of a core of hardwood, plywood or HDF and a top layer of hardwood veneer that is glued on the top surface of the core and is available in almost any hardwood species. The product thus has the natural characteristics of the selected wood species as opposed to a photographic layer. The “engineered” product has been designed to provide greater stability, particularly where moisture or heat pose problems for solid hardwood floors. Engineered hardwood is more versatile and stable than solid hardwood and laminate; more resistant to moisture and humidity than solid hardwood; better for below-grade installations - basements, where dampness is common. The instability of solid hardwood is usually moisture or heat related. In addition to the top hardwood veneer, engineered wood flooring typically has three or more layers. Generally, there is greater stability with more layers. The core layers may be plywood, high-density fiberboard, or hardwood.

For example, Vanier engineered flooring has five to seven hardwood core layers. The hardwood veneer, top layer hardwood, can typically be 0.5mm to 4.5mm or more in thickness. A quality hardwood veneer will provide many years of wear The Janka hardness rating is your standard measurement for this purpose. The Janka test is conducted by measuring the force needed to lodge a .444-inch steel ball in the wood species to a depth of half the ball's diameter. The higher the rating, the harder is the species of wood.

Please note that certain species of hardwood are softer than others. You should consider using these harder species for high traffic areas. Refer to the Janka Hardness rating for an indication of the species hardness.