Engineered wood flooring is made up of a minimum of two layers of wood, taking the shape of the traditional plank in the majority of cases. The top layer is known as the Lamella, this is the part that is visible when installed. This layer is often made of higher quality cuts of wood to create high end finished wood flooring. Oak flooring is a popular choice, as it is both hard wearing and beautiful. The second layer of engineered wood flooring is known as the core (or substrate); this layer is designed to add extra stability to the floorboard. This layer can be made up of several layers of wood, depending on the features required in the flooring. For example the "sandwich core" is made up of lots of layers of thin plyed wood, with each layer of ply running in the opposite direction of the previous layer. This gives the wood floor an extra layer of stability, as the wood does not react to changes in climate in the same way a solid wood floor would. Engineered wood has become the most frequently used wood flooring substance internationally. The only continent where solid wood flooring still maintains a majority share is in North America.
Vinyl, Veneer and Laminate flooring are sometimes mistaken for engineered flooring. However, each is significantly different. Laminate flooring, is a synthetic flooring product, which while often decorated with wood patterns is not as hard wearing as a traditional oak floor. Veneer flooring is similar to engineered products in that they both contain multiple layers of wood. However, veneer is formed from thin slices of wood typically 3mm thick, which are placed on other harder layers. This technique in a flooring context allows for intricate designs to be inlayed into the surface of the wood flooring. Vinyl flooring is formed from plastic and is shaped to look and feel like wood. This is the key difference between vinyl and laminate flooring, which only has the image of wood laid on the surface or the flooring.
Among the innovations in engineered wood flooring, there has been some interest in using acrylic soaked wood, thus creating a floor that is up to 100% harder, which still retains its wooden aesthetic qualities. As engineered flooring is mass produced to specification it has many advantages over solid wood flooring for the majority of building projects. A key detail appreciated by many home builders is the ability to create engineered wood flooring in any length or width. There are also less long-term maintenance issues associated with the engineered product.
