If you’re longing for a real wood floor, you’ll probably find yourself choosing between engineered wood vs solid wood. Both options feature the unrivalled character of real oak and have the potential to add value to your home. However, these floors bring different qualities to the table when it comes to cost, durability and maintenance.
In this blog, we explore the advantages and disadvantages of solid wooden flooring and engineered wood flooring to help you find the right wood floor for your space. So, let’s get started!
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What’s The Difference Between Solid Wood and Engineered Wood Flooring?
If you’re weighing up engineered wood vs solid wood, you might think the two look identical. However, there are a few key differences between these types of wood flooring.
Solid wood flooring is constructed from a single piece of 100% solid wood. Being a natural product, it doesn’t contain any composite materials like plywood or HDF (high-density fibreboard) and is naturally strong and hardwearing.
Engineered wood flooring is made from a base of either softwood, plywood or HDF (high-density fibreboard), which makes it strong and stable. This base is then covered with a thin layer of pure wood. Engineered wood’s multi-layered build makes it more affordable than solid wood and offers stability through changing temperatures, unlike solid wood flooring.
Pros and Cons of Solid Wood Flooring
Solid wood boasts tonnes of benefits – it’s extremely long-lasting, naturally beautiful and effortlessly timeless. That said, it might not be the best choice for your home or lifestyle. Read on for the pros and cons of solid wood flooring.
Benefits of Solid Wood Flooring
- Long-lasting – When cared for properly, solid wood can last for up to 100 years, which is much longer than other flooring types.
- Can sand and refinish – The surface of a solid wood floor can be sanded and refinished, allowing you to buff away signs of damage or age that appear over time.
- Unfinished options – Solid wood is available unfinished, so you can apply an oil or lacquer of your choice. This means you can choose a colour and finish yourself, rather than buying a floor that’s already been finished.
- Range of designs – Solid wood comes in lots of different shades and styles, from light to dark and straight plank to parquet.
- Variety of types of wood – There are different ‘grades’ of solid wood flooring and each suits different styles of decor. You can choose from prime, rustic and distressed wood, depending on how much colour variation and natural grain you want in your floor.
Disadvantages of Solid Wood Flooring
- Expensive choice – As solid wood is made from a single piece of pure wood, it’s one of the most expensive flooring options available. However, its impressive lifespan makes it a worthwhile investment if you’re looking for a floor that will see you through several decades.
- Can’t use with changing levels of heat – While solid wood is strong and stable, it doesn’t cope well with changes in temperature. This means you can’t use it with underfloor heating or in rooms that turn from hot to cold, like your kitchen or conservatory.
- Not waterproof – Solid wood flooring isn’t waterproof, so we don’t recommend it for kitchens or bathrooms. However, lacquered solid wood flooring is a great choice if you need a bit of water-resistance.
- Not scratch-resistant – Solid wood is made from tough stuff but it’s not as scratch-resistant as LVT and laminate floors.
- Complex installation – Solid wood can be trickier and more time-consuming to install than other types of flooring.
Pros and Cons of Engineered Wood Flooring
Boasting the gorgeous natural beauty of real oak for a fraction of the price, engineered wood flooring is a popular choice. Let’s look at the pros and cons of engineered wood, so you can be sure it’s the right floor for your space.
Benefits of Engineered Wood Flooring
- Affordability – Engineered wood looks and feels just like solid wood but comes at a fraction of the price. It’s a fantastic choice if you’re looking for real wood flooring but you’ve got a smaller budget.
- Durability – Engineered wood is extremely durable and unlike solid wood, it isn’t affected by changes to moisture and humidity. It’s perfect for areas where solid wood isn’t suitable, e.g the kitchen, conservatory or summer house.
- Long-lasting – Like solid wood, engineered wood can be sanded and refinished, so you can restore its beauty as it ages. This means engineered wood can last for 30+ years.
- Natural origin – Engineered wood is made from natural wood, so it’s ideal if you’re looking for real materials rather than man-made ones.
- Lots of options – Engineered wood comes in a variety of colours, from natural shades to grey and white. There are also a range of styles to choose from, so whether you’re dreaming of straight plank or parquet, you’ll find your perfect match.
- Works well with underfloor heating – Unlike solid wood, engineered wood flooring can be installed over underfloor heating, so you’ll always be warm and toasty!
Disadvantages of Engineered Wood Flooring
- Not waterproof – The downside to choosing a natural wood floor is that unlike man-made flooring like LVT and laminate, wood isn’t waterproof. But if you choose engineered wood with a lacquered finish, the lacquer will protect against small splashes and spills.
- Not scratch-resistant – Engineered wood doesn’t resist scratches as well as LVT and laminate. Because of this, it’s not always best if you have pets. But, if you really want an engineered wood floor, choose a brushed floor as the textured effect will disguise scratches. Make sure you go for an oiled finish – lacquer will only highlight imperfections!
- Won’t last as long as solid wood – Engineered wood has a lifespan of 30+ years. But solid wood can last up to 100 years and be refinished more times than engineered wood.
- Lengthy installation – If you’ve done your research and prep, you can definitely install your own engineered wood floor. That said, regardless of whether you hire a professional or DIY it, it will take longer to fit than some other floors.
- Mid-range price – Engineered wood flooring costs less than solid wood, but still more than LVT and laminate flooring. If you’re working with a small budget, you might prefer a lower-priced flooring option.
Durability and Maintenance
If you’re considering engineered hardwood vs solid wood, you might be wondering how the two stack up durability-wise. Let’s break down what you need to know.
Both solid and engineered wood are durable enough to handle daily wear and tear, making them ideal for the busiest rooms of the house. But as we mentioned, wood floors aren’t as resistant to scratches as LVTs and laminates and they’ll never be fully waterproof either.
Solid wood is strong and stable, but it doesn’t do well when exposed to heat or moisture, so we would never recommend using it with underfloor heating! You’ll also want to avoid solid wood in any rooms where the humidity changes frequently, like the kitchen or conservatory.
Engineered wood copes much better with humidity than solid wood, so it’s a great choice if you want a lovely wood floor with the cosiness of underfloor heating, or if you’re looking for wood flooring for your kitchen or conservatory.
As solid wood is made entirely from pure wood, it can be sanded down again and again, extending the life of your floor for decades. However, engineered wood can only be sanded and refinished for as long as the ‘wear layer’ (the real wood veneer) lasts. How long this is will depend on the thickness of the wear layer on your engineered wood floor, but typically, you’ll be able to sand it 1-3 times before you need to replace your floor.
Both solid wood and engineered wood need to be cleaned with the same level of care. Make sure any cleaning solutions you use are suitable for wood flooring and avoid using too much water when mopping your floor. Also, wood flooring is more prone to scratches than LVT and laminate, so use a soft-bristled broom and take extra care with vacuum attachments.
Check out our tips for keeping your floor clean to keep your floor looking its best.
Cost Comparison
If you’ve got a set budget in mind, cost will be an important factor in your solid wood floor vs engineered wood comparison.
Being 100% natural, solid wood is usually on the expensive side. But with a lifespan of up to 100 years and the ability to sand and refinish multiple times, it’s the most long-lasting of all the flooring types available. With that in mind, while the initial cost of a solid wood floor might make your eyes water, there’s no doubt it’ll be a fantastic investment for your home.
Prices for our solid wood flooring start from £53.99m², although it’s worth keeping an eye out for our sales, because sometimes we offer serious bargains on solid wood!
Engineered wood is made from part wood composite and part real wood, which means it’s a bit cheaper to produce than solid wood. However, engineered wood can only be sanded down a limited number of times and it won’t last as long as solid wood.
Our engineered wood floors start from £25.99m², but don’t forget to check out our sales in case we’ve got any on clearance…
Before you make your decision between engineered wood vs solid wood, it’s worth considering the cost of installing your floor too.
Solid wood can be quite complex to fit, especially if you’ve chosen parquet, so unless you’re an experienced DIYer, you’ll probably need to hire a professional to do the job. This may be costly, as fitting solid wood is time-consuming and fitters tend to charge by the hours or days they’ve worked.
Engineered wood is a little easier to fit than solid wood, so whether your floor is straight plank or parquet, if you’ve done your research and you’re feeling confident, you can try fitting it yourself. If DIY isn’t your vibe, the cost of fitting your engineered floor will be an important factor to consider, although you’ll usually find it costs less than a solid wood floor installation.
Suitability for Different Rooms
Both solid wood and engineered wood flooring offer so much character and beauty, you’ll want to show off your floor, no matter which one you choose. But, it’s important to note that you won’t be able to fit wood flooring all through your house.
Solid wood floors are fantastic for living rooms, dining rooms, hallways and bedrooms. However, it’s best to avoid them in rooms where the temperature changes a lot because the wood may warp as it transitions from hot to cold and back. As we mentioned, this means you shouldn’t choose solid wood if you plan to fit underfloor heating.
Engineered wood flooring can be used for most rooms in the house. However, as it’s not waterproof, you won’t be able to use it anywhere that gets really wet, like the bathroom. Engineered wood is much more versatile than solid wood as you can use it with underfloor heating or for rooms where the temperature changes a lot, like your kitchen, conservatory or even your summer house!
Which Flooring Looks Better?
If you compare engineered hardwood vs solid wood aesthetically, it’s hard to argue that one beats the other. Both types of flooring boast natural beauty and character and despite being constructed differently, they look virtually identical once fitted.
Some people may prefer the traditional charm of solid wood but to be honest, you won’t be able to tell the difference once your floor has been laid.
Our wood flooring collection offers unfinished solid wood and unfinished engineered wood, so you can customise the colour and shade of your floor to get the look you want.
Which Flooring Is Best for Pet Owners?
If you’ve got a four-legged friend or two, you’ll be wondering which floor is more pet-friendly in the engineered wood vs solid wood debate.
Many people think that you can’t have a natural wood floor if you’ve got pets, but that’s not true! However, we recommend thinking carefully about your flooring options and what your main concerns are, to make sure you choose the best floor for your furry friends.
Engineered wood and solid wood are both hardwearing enough to offer a bit of resistance to scratches but not as much as some other types of flooring do. Both can be sanded down to remove signs of damage (like scratches from energetic paws!) but remember that you can do this with solid wood more times than you can with engineered wood.
Another thing to keep in mind as a pet owner is water-resistance. Pets can be messy, whether they’re spilling their food, their water bowl, or in the case of puppies and kittens, having little accidents on the floor! Engineered wood is more resistant to moisture, so you might prefer it if you want peace of mind about moisture damage.
If your main concern is your floor getting scratched, choose either brushed and oiled solid wood or brushed and oiled engineered wood flooring. The brushed effect creates natural texture in the wood which will do a great job of hiding scratches. It’s important to choose an oiled finish here, as a lacquer will highlight any scratches. Just remember, the oil won’t offer water-resistance, so if your pet is still toilet training, make sure you clean up any spills immediately!
If you’re more worried about spills ruining your floor, go for a lacquered wood floor, like our lacquered solid wood or lacquered engineered wood.
In short, both solid and engineered wood will suit a home with pets, but you might be better off choosing solid wood if you want to be able to sand and refinish your floor again and again.
Top tips for protecting your floor from pets:
- Use rugs or runners to protect your floor, especially if you’ve not chosen a brushed and oiled finish.
- Keep dogs’ claws trimmed to prevent scratches.
- Keep food and water bowls on top of mats to prevent stains if your pets are messy eaters!
Which Is Easier to Install?
Installation might be an important part of your decision when comparing a solid wood floor vs engineered wood.
Solid wood is more challenging to fit than engineered wood. It has to be nailed into place and this requires lots of specialist tools, so it’s likely you’ll want to invest in a professional fitter.
Engineered wood can be fitted using a floating, glue-down or click-fit joining method (depending on your type and style of flooring). This means fitting engineered wood flooring is less complex than solid wood so you might feel comfortable enough to install it yourself. Be sure to check out our guide on how to lay engineered wood flooring before you get started!
Which Will Last the Longest?
If longevity is important to you, you might wonder which floor lasts longer – solid wood or engineered. While both types of wood flooring are designed to last decades, the construction of the planks will affect how long your floor lasts.
Our engineered wood floors have an expected lifespan of over 30 years and can typically be sanded and refinished at least once, if not multiple times. However, solid wood flooring comes out on top, with an average lifespan of 100+ years. As we touched on earlier, solid wood can be sanded and refinished many times, which allows you to extend its life when it starts showing wear and tear.
Other considerations
Some other things you might want to consider when weighing up engineered wood vs solid wood flooring are:
Noise
While both solid and engineered wood floors are fairly quiet, engineered wood sounds more hollow underfoot. Being thicker than engineered wood, solid wood absorbs reverberation better and even distributes it throughout the room.
You might notice your solid wood floor is a bit creaky shortly after being fitted, but don’t panic, a little noise as the planks settle is normal!
Resale value
Solid wood is more expensive than engineered wood and typically offers a higher resale value than engineered wood. Boasting prestige, a long lifespan and traditional craftsmanship, it’s easy to see why a potential homeowner would be attracted to a house with solid wood floors.
That said, engineered wood offers the same look as solid wood and more practicality, so it will also add significant value to your home.
Which Is Better for You?
As you now know, when looking at engineered wood vs solid wood, each option has its pros and cons. But what’s best for your home will depend on your lifestyle, budget and your personal preference!
If longevity is your priority or you’re planning to sell your home in the future and want to increase its value, solid wood will be the best investment for you.
If you don’t have the budget for solid wood flooring, or you want a floor that’s compatible with underfloor heating and can withstand heat and humidity, engineered wood will be a great choice.
No matter which floor you decide on, don’t forget to take advantage of our unlimited free samples. You can order as many as you like until you find your perfect match!
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Still torn between engineered wood and solid wood? Get in touch with our friendly flooring experts, they’re always happy to chat.
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