Solid wood floors are a wonderful addition to any home. Indeed, a well-made and correctly-installed natural wood floor will add warmth, character and charm to your interiors as well as value to your property as a whole. However, solid wood flooring is generally the most expensive flooring option to buy and also has certain limitations. It is perhaps because of these reasons that engineered wooden floors have become so popular in recent years. Engineered floors were originally developed for use on the ground floors of homes that have concrete bases. However, the advancements made in engineered wood flooring technology over the last two decades have made it possible to use engineered solutions just about anywhere, including places where you'd expect to find solid wood floors. Despite the fact that both solid wood and engineered wooden floors are able to bring the look of natural wood into a home, they are in fact very different products. Indeed, there are different situations when one would work better than the other. However, this article will concentrate on the benefits which engineered flooring solutions can provide. Attributes As well as being less expensive to buy, engineered wood floors tend to be easier to install than solid wood floors. In addition, engineered wood floors are significantly more resistant to moisture than wooden floors and also tend to be more stable. The key to this increased stability and moisture tolerance comes from how an engineered wood floor is made. Construction High-quality engineered wood flooring is generally manufactured in thicknesses that range from around 1cm to 2cm. The top layer is a veneer of natural wood - the thicker that veneer is, the more expensive the floor will be to buy. When this top veneer is very thin (0.6mm or less), the resulting floor cannot be refinished; however, when the top veneer is between 2mm and 6mm, it can be refinished several times over. The layers underneath the veneer are very important and can affect the final retail price considerably. These layers are generally made of anywhere between three and 12 layers of plywood and unfinished white wood, depending on the thickness and quality of the finished product. Installation Engineered wood floors that are thinner than 2cm can be installed by simply gluing them down in the same way as you would glue down a vinyl or resilient floor. Therefore, as long as you have some rudimentary DIY skills and plenty of time and patience, you will most likely find it pretty easy to install an engineered wood floor. Sustainability Engineered wooden floors are a very sustainable flooring option. Indeed, a good-quality engineered wood floor will last anywhere from 20 to 100 years, depending on the thickness of the top veneer. Certainly, the best engineered floors available can last every bit as long as solid wood floors. Explore our pages further to find out more about the benefits of engineered flooring solutions and view our excellent natural wood flooring products in greater detail.