Engineered wood flooring is a popular choice, offering a real wood finish with the affordability, durability and ease offered by a man-made core. But what do you consider when choosing your flooring to ensure you get the quality results you want?
The question of grades
You will often see grades included in product descriptions relating to engineered wood flooring. You might see the likes of natural, rustic, select, and prime grades listed. Just be aware that this grading relates to the appearance of the flooring and not to the quality. Just like descriptions of marble tiles from companies such as Irwin Tiles, these indicate the finished appearance of the flooring as well as more detailed information about the product.
The wear layer
A thicker wear layer is indicative of the quality of the flooring, in terms of its durability and lifespan. A thicker wear layer allows for wear and tear and sanding.
Wood types
Another measure of quality is the kind of wood used for the wear layer. Different woods have specific characteristics in terms of durability, grain patterns, colour variations and hardness. Oak is popular for wear layers due to its strength and longevity, while walnut is a softer wood that can mask minor imperfections thanks to its darker colouration.
Flooring finish
The finish of engineered wood flooring has a significant impact on its quality, durability, and appearance. Typically, oil and lacquered finishes will indicate higher quality compared to wax and varnish finishes. The latter will generally need more maintenance and frequent reapplication.
The warranty
The length of time of a warranty is a good indicator of quality, as longer time spans mean that manufacturers and suppliers have greater confidence in the durability of a product.
Customer reviews
Checking out reviews can be a good indicator of quality and any issues that commonly affect the product. Don’t use this as the primary means of choosing flooring, however, as not all reviews are as honest as they should be.
