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Engineered flooring is quickly becoming more requested in construction projects and the benefits are persuasive.
For decades, solid flooring has traditionally been the timber floor of choice, capturing the hearts of many by bringing warmth and sophistication to home interiors. Now in 2021, as the world moves toward greater respect for the earth and its resources, the beauty of solid flooring can still be enjoyed but with far less impact to the environment. A Quick Rundown: Solid or Engineered flooring.
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SOLID FLOORING
Each solid wood flooring plank is created from a single piece of solid wood. So, even the parts of the floor you can’t see, use real wood. [Think: The wood below the tongue and groove joint.] As a result, many trees are needed to make a decent supply of timber flooring. |
ENGINEERED FLOORING
Only the surface layer is constructed from solid wood. This is glued to a manufactured cross-layered base of plywood. The plywood base is created with significantly less waste during the manufacturing process. Engineered flooring then uses up to a third less hardwood than solid wood floors of the same dimensions. |
How Does Engineered Flooring Compare to Solid Flooring, Environmentally?
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Healthy Forest Regeneration
The trees used to make hardwood flooring grow at a slower pace than ones used to make engineered flooring. By making use of smaller trees from well-managed woodlands, engineered wood flooring saves old growth forests as well as slow-growing trees from becoming endangered or extinct, leaving them all for future generations to enjoy. In fact, demand for engineered wood flooring will encourage forest owners to prioritise healthy forest regeneration.
The trees used to make hardwood flooring grow at a slower pace than ones used to make engineered flooring. By making use of smaller trees from well-managed woodlands, engineered wood flooring saves old growth forests as well as slow-growing trees from becoming endangered or extinct, leaving them all for future generations to enjoy. In fact, demand for engineered wood flooring will encourage forest owners to prioritise healthy forest regeneration.
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Reduced Waste in Production
The real wood layer for engineered wood flooring is produced by slicing rather than cutting with a saw. This method greatly increases the sustainable use of timber to produce flooring products, and due to minimal sawdust, there are little-to-no pollutants as by-products.
The real wood layer for engineered wood flooring is produced by slicing rather than cutting with a saw. This method greatly increases the sustainable use of timber to produce flooring products, and due to minimal sawdust, there are little-to-no pollutants as by-products.
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Reduced Waste in Installation
Being a natural product, solid flooring can have cracks or other defects in the timbers, which can cause timber waste during the installation process. With engineered flooring being manufactured and graded, timber waste is reduced in the same installation process, compared to solid flooring.
Being a natural product, solid flooring can have cracks or other defects in the timbers, which can cause timber waste during the installation process. With engineered flooring being manufactured and graded, timber waste is reduced in the same installation process, compared to solid flooring.
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Engineered Wood Circulates Heat
As well as reducing waste, engineered wood floors circulate heat more effectively. Thanks to its dense core, engineered wood floors conduct heat and can reduce the amount of energy required to warm a home.
(Reduced energy bills is a definite bonus.)
As well as reducing waste, engineered wood floors circulate heat more effectively. Thanks to its dense core, engineered wood floors conduct heat and can reduce the amount of energy required to warm a home.
(Reduced energy bills is a definite bonus.)
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Greater Stability
The layered construction of the engineered core of engineered flooring means you’re less likely to experience movement, warping or gapping between boards. These issues can be common with solid flooring in response to changes in climate or exposure to moisture. Compared to solid wood flooring, the stability of engineered flooring makes it suitable to install directly over timber joists and over underfloor heating.
The layered construction of the engineered core of engineered flooring means you’re less likely to experience movement, warping or gapping between boards. These issues can be common with solid flooring in response to changes in climate or exposure to moisture. Compared to solid wood flooring, the stability of engineered flooring makes it suitable to install directly over timber joists and over underfloor heating.
