Courtesy of Lumber Liquidators

GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT HARDWOOD FLOORING:

1. What is solid hardwood?
Solid hardwood flooring is milled from one thick piece of wood. It can be sanded and refinished several times. It expands and contracts with environmental fluctuations of the home more so than engineered wood. Species education before purchase is very important because some species are more recommended for a particular application than others.

2. What is engineered flooring?
Engineered hardwood is constructed with layers of hardwood veneer, glued and heat-pressed together to create a product that can range in thickness from 5/16 inch up to 9/16 inch, having three to eight plies (or layers). The top veneer can range in thickness up to 1/4 inch, depending on the manufacturer. In order to create an engineered hardwood, these plies are stacked on top of each other with each layer or grain of the wood facing perpendicular to each other. Once the desired thickness is achieved, the boards are then cut into the correct board width. From there, the boards are then manufactured to have a tongue or groove on the edges. The final step is to add stain and finish. By design, engineered hardwood becomes less susceptible to the effects of moisture and temperature fluctuations. Therefore, engineered hardwood is referred to as being dimensionally stable. Solid hardwood is not as efficient in dimensional stability because the grain throughout the board runs in only one direction. The positive stability of engineered hardwood allows it to be glued directly to concrete above or below grade and is also perfect for radiant heat applications. Moisture barriers over concrete are always recommended.

Some styles of engineered flooring can be stapled down, nailed down, glued to cement or floated.

3. What is a floating floor?
Floating floors generally click or snap together and float above the subfloor instead of being nailed or glued into place. Floating wood floors make an excellent choice over radiant heat, concrete, linoleum and hard to remove/hard to correct surfaces.

4. What is laminate flooring?
Laminate flooring is a man-made product typically constructed with a high-density fiberboard core sandwiched in between a melamine laminate backing, making them very water resistant, though not waterproof. On the surface is a high-quality photographic paper that has an image of wood or ceramic topped with abrasion-resistant wear layer finish. Laminates with an AC 3 (Abrasion Criteria rating of three) are well suited for light commercial applications and all laminates are perfect for radiant heat and cement installations. Most laminates are equipped with a built-on, pre-attached pad on the back; those that do not will require an underlayment. Warranty duration in years is related to wear layer thickness and warranties are only applicable to normal foot traffic and board construction, not moisture, scratches and dents as those are site-related issues.

5. What is the difference between engineered and laminate flooring?
The surface of laminate flooring is a photographed image of finished hardwood and cannot be refinished. Warranties are expressed by the thickness of the wear layers in millimeters (mm). Laminates are not fastened to the subfloor, but are installed floating over a pad.

Engineered flooring is the most versatile of floors. Depending on the style, engineered can be floated over a pad, nailed to a subfloor or glued to cement. These are made by actually adhering real hardwood to multiple layers of plywood or medium density fiberboard (MDF) core and can be refinished. How many times depends on the thickness of the veneer or top wear layer and finding someone knowledgeable enough to handle the work. Engineered floors are perfect for radiant heat and below-grade installations.

6. Can I put hardwood in a kitchen or bathroom?
Yes, hardwood is acceptable for installation in a kitchen or a powder room. It is recommended putting a throw rug by the sink and the tub because an excess of water can damage wood, or any floor for that matter.  Also you will need to wipe up water as soon as possible. 

However, a full bathroom that is showered in every day may not be the best location for hardwood. Often there is too much water on the floor or humidity that can be absorbed into the flooring, resulting in board edge cupping. Engineered floorings are recommended for these areas.

7. What is a vapor barrier?
A vapor barrier is needed to protect the new flooring against moisture or moisture vapor.

The three basic methods of protection are:                                                                                                                                            

Nail-down installations: In crawlspaces under the subfloor, 6mm poly sheeting plastic should be placed over the dirt. In addition, 15-pound felt paper should be placed between the subfloor and the new hardwood flooring.

Glue-down installations: When gluing down wood to concrete, a vapor barrier is almost always needed, especially below grade. The recommended trowel applied products we offer are Bostiks MVP, Mapei's WFM or Mapei's ECO 995.

Floating-floor installations: When installing laminates or other floating floors over cement, VCT, ceramic tiles or kitchen vinyl, use 6mm poly sheeting plastic as the moisture barrier. Omit plastic when covering bare wood subfloors, thereby allowing the subfloor to breathe.  In crawlspaces under the wooden subfloor, 6mm poly sheeting plastic should be placed over the dirt. 

8. What is veneer?
Veneer is the top 1/8- to 1/4-inch layer of wood that is glued over a layer of plywood. Engineered wood is an example; its construction produces a very stable floor. Most engineered veneers can be refinished about two times using a "screening" and buffing" technique.