If you have your heart set on a beautiful hardwood floor in your living room, you certainly wouldn’t be alone. Solid timber flooring takes a lot of beating, and while there are composites like vinyl and laminate, there is another affordable option that ticks all of the homeowner’s boxes, which is engineered flooring.
What is Engineered Flooring?
The term “engineered flooring” refers to a material that has a real timber veneer that covers a composite core, which gives you the look and the feel of solid timber flooring, but at a much-reduced price. You are not limited with design choices, as just about every species of wood is represented, ranging from a deep brown Mocca oak to a stylish light brown Jarrah, with lots in between. The top and bottom of the laminate flooring is made from real timber, whereas the core is fabricated from a composite material, which gives the board added strength, and as the layers are criss-crossed, this adds essential tensile strength.
Adding value to your family home are timber stairs
Stunning Finishes
With more than 30 timber species to choose from, there is bound to be one that matches perfectly with your concept, and the finish can easily be sanded down at any time, which restores the finish to its original condition. You might prefer a high shine gloss finish or something matt, and you do not have to worry about wet areas, as engineered flooring is impervious to water.
Various timber flooring can be a great solution even for your bathroom area.
Eco-Friendly Solutions
When you consider how many trees it would take to install solid timber flooring in your home, engineered flooring makes perfect sense if you are concerned about the environmental impact. Unlike solid timber, engineered flooring will not warp or bend, regardless of the temperature or moisture levels, and the manufacturing process does not use harmful or toxic adhesives, which is another bonus for the eco-friendly homeowner.
Professional Installation
Unless you happen to be a flooring expert, you are advised to have the supplier install the flooring. In some cases, a cork backing would be used, depending on the substrate, which also gives the flooring a softer feel underfoot. If the supplier installs the flooring, they would be happy to issue you with a long product warranty, and with a little effort, the flooring will always be in tip-top condition. When you compare the cost of a solid timber floor, engineered flooring does make for a very attractive alternative, and being waterproof and scratch resistant, you really wouldn’t be able to tell the flooring wasn’t solid timber.
Explore the Potential
If you would like a quote for engineered flooring, all you have to do is search online for a local supplier, who would be happy to send a flooring expert to your home, where you can discuss the many options. The representative would carry a large number of samples, making it easy to select the most suitable, and as engineered flooring can be installed on any substrate, the interior design project would soon be completed.
All images from Apartment K160 by Line Design Studio – discover the full project on our ARCHISCENE Magazine.
