Wood flooring: Engineered or Solid

[Tan]

Hi

I am looking to install wood flooring into the hall and dining room and am looking for some advice on whether to go for engineered or solid wood?

I have seen two that I like one from floors2go and the other is Kahrs

Does anyone have any experience of either of these suppliers?

Thanks

Tan

 

[Charles Morgan]

I didn't use either supplier, but have solid oak throughout. If you have any risk of warping or need underfloor heating, engineered is probably necessary. I have a tiny bit of warping by the AGA where the wood was fitted too tightly so had no chance to expand but that's in the entire house.

 

[ringway]

We put in around 60sq metres of solid wood in our house a few years ago from Wickes of all places. Heavy traffic including two Lurcher dogs with long claws and it has stood up excellently.

Tip. Have a dirt grabber mat at the inside of each entrance door.

 

[Jeff666]

Have a look at Amtico, it's the stuff they use in high street shops. Very hard wearing, doesn't fade and maintenance free... Not wood I know but good stuff!

 

[brucemillar]

I put down a solid oak engineered floor in the bedroom. Good underlay and a secret nailer then off you go. Went down a treat, looks great. As above get a dirt mat. Rest of house I used a laminate. As above goes down well and looks good. Get individual boards for laminate it tends to look better. Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[Chrishazle]

Do not even think of solid oak in kitchen and utility - previous owner did the entire ground floor of our house in 22mm solid oak including kitchen and utility. Piss marks from her puppies in the utility, even 4" belt sander ( and a lot of mess!) would not remove it, I dread to think what a washing machine leak would do.

We also have a few warping things, but not a real problem. At lest, as it's 22mm, I could get a full power sand job done, which I'm not sure you could with an engineered floor.

 

[BernardB]

When we rebuilt our house in 2007 the worst mistake we made was to install solid oak throughout the ground floor. Expansion and shrinkage are a constant problem.

We did it partly for economy (engineered oak is more expensive) and partly out of a feeling that engineered isn't "real wood". we were stupid, as the following explanation from a good website makes clear:

Engineered wood flooring is timber which consists of more than one layer. By placing each layer so that the grain runs at 90° it becomes virtually impossible for the wood to swell or shrink with changes in humidity and so dramatically increases its stability. The top layer of an engineered board (the lamella) is solid wood, usually hardwood, and may be anything from 2 to 6mm thick; obviously the thicker the surface layer the more times it can be sanded and refinished to remove the ravages of wear; the thickest wear layers are equivalent to those on solid timber boards. The lamella is securely bonded to one or two further layers - this may be a multi-layered plywood or a sandwich with either a softwood or hardwood core.
Engineered boards should not be confused with laminate or veneer. Laminate uses an image of wood on its surface whilst veneer uses only a very thin layer of wood over a core of some type of composite wood product, usually fibreboard.

 

[Pitts Pilot]

When we rebuilt our house in 2007 the worst mistake we made was to install solid oak throughout the ground floor. Expansion and shrinkage are a constant problem.

We did it partly for economy (engineered oak is more expensive) and partly out of a feeling that engineered isn't "real wood". we were stupid, as the following explanation from a good website makes clear:

Engineered wood flooring is timber which consists of more than one layer. By placing each layer so that the grain runs at 90° it becomes virtually impossible for the wood to swell or shrink with changes in humidity and so dramatically increases its stability. The top layer of an engineered board (the lamella) is solid wood, usually hardwood, and may be anything from 2 to 6mm thick; obviously the thicker the surface layer the more times it can be sanded and refinished to remove the ravages of wear; the thickest wear layers are equivalent to those on solid timber boards. The lamella is securely bonded to one or two further layers - this may be a multi-layered plywood or a sandwich with either a softwood or hardwood core.
Engineered boards should not be confused with laminate or veneer. Laminate uses an image of wood on its surface whilst veneer uses only a very thin layer of wood over a core of some type of composite wood product, usually fibreboard.

+1

Robert
Chartered Building Surveyor

 

[whitenemesis]

+2


One can also get 'super-solid' engineered flooring which essentially is the same as normal engineered but is made from the same species of wood all the way through. It provides a "walk" indistinguishable from solid flooring but none of the drawbacks as highlighted above.

 

[Simon_M]

Used engineered Khars in our old house, very good. One thing I would advise on though, ours was a lacquered (matt) wood and not oiled which I thought was best for preventing stains. Trouble is when the cleaner mopped it or Mrs spilt red wine the liquid gets into the joints and slowly (over years) gets under the lacquer at the ends of the planks and turns them darker.

Oh and I fitted it myself to a lounge and hallway - doorways are a pain, never again, I was a broken man after that. Pay someone competent to do it!

S

 

[whitenemesis]

Doorways, always trim the bottom off the door frame and architrave, don't try and trim the flooring to fit...

 

[finisterre]

We have Junckers (clear beech) which is 22mm chunks cut to about three by twenty inch bits and made into planks.. Like straight plank parquet, ish. Sort of half engineered half natural plank.

Brilliant stuff. I got it out of a church hall. Ebay twelve quid a square meter, needed putting through a planer first, I thought it good value. It is probably quite old but has a fresh feel to it.

Just an option that deserves consideration.

http://www.junckers.co.uk/products/c-solid-floor-2-strip/p-ec6311e9-a95d-42d7-9d43-775d19c55f11

 

[theogeor]

Hi

I am looking to install wood flooring into the hall and dining room and am looking for some advice on whether to go for engineered or solid wood?

I have seen two that I like one from floors2go and the other is Kahrs

Does anyone have any experience of either of these suppliers?

Thanks

Tan

Been through that a year ago. We were between solid and engineered oak and we ended up buying the best possible engineered with click installation as I wanted to avoid glue and nails if possible. The results are fantastic and every person who's seen it is impressed. I used uk floors direct who did send me samples in order to make up our mind.

Importantly you need someone who will do the installation properly especially around the doors and edges

TG

 

[flango]

I had this issue so I did one room in solid the other in Engineered. If ever I do another I will go the engineered route. This is purely based on the fact I was doing it myself and the engineered route is far easier for a very very similar result

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[del320]

To be fair, manufacturers always state that solid wood should never be laid in areas of widely fluctuating temperatures, humidity and dampness or where quantities of water might be spilled - ie kitchens and bathrooms.

I laid solid oak in the dining room and hall of our Borders home without difficulty other than sometimes needing to jam a piece of wood across from the skirting to ensure a tight fit.

Fortunately we have high skirtings so the additional thickness of the floor is not noticeable. I bought it from B & Q (pensioner's Wednesday discount ) There's nothing wrong with it but it's cheaper becuse the strips are shorter.

In our modern Edinburgh home with miserable low skirtings, I took them out before laying reclaimed 100 year old oak strip flooring in the hall.

 

[finisterre]

That looks spot on.

 

[Tan]

Thanks for all the replies, thats one decision made, will go the the engineered route, now to decide on which one. I really prefer to go with a renown brand like Kahrs, I just hope that my wife likes the version that they have available within our budget.

The next decision is whether to ask the fitter to try and cut the skirting boards and fit underneath or to use beading, the house is a victorian house with old skirting boards, so removing them is not a route that I am prepared to go down.

 

[brucemillar]

Beading is fine. But get quality stuff. Cheap will ruin the look of your floor. Also remember to let your new floor acclimatise in the house before laying.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[IanA2]

To be fair, manufacturers always state that solid wood should never be laid in areas of widely fluctuating temperatures, humidity and dampness or where quantities of water might be spilled - ie kitchens and bathrooms.

I laid solid oak in the dining room and hall of our Borders home without difficulty other than sometimes needing to jam a piece of wood across from the skirting to ensure a tight fit.

Fortunately we have high skirtings so the additional thickness of the floor is not noticeable. I bought it from B & Q (pensioner's Wednesday discount ) There's nothing wrong with it but it's cheaper becuse the strips are shorter.

In our modern Edinburgh home with miserable low skirtings, I took them out before laying reclaimed 100 year old oak strip flooring in the hall.

As a matter of interest, in the room you didn't remove the skirters, how did you allow for expansion?

Several years ago, when I was capable of undertaking such tasks, I laid solid flooring throughout the house. I decided on solid as it can be re-sanded.

Wish I hadn't. It's not needed any sanding in the six plus years it's been down, and engineered would have been easier to lay and given a slicker finish.

Oh well...:fail

 

[LTD]

Beading is fine.

No it is not.

Remove the skirting and refit. It's the only way to ensure a proper quality of finish.

Beading around skirting looks nasty and cheap.

Any fitter recommending that you use beading should be shown the door.