SOLID HARDWOOD PLANK FLOORING

 Admittedly, the term Engineered Hardwood Flooring sounds impressive. Unfortunately, the definition of that impressive title is…..plywood.

Plywood flooring does offer a little more stability and a wider acceptable humidity band than solid hardwood flooring. However, due to its construction, plywood flooring has inherent weaknesses, like delamination and face checking, that are not present with a solid hardwood floor.  

In addition, discerning customers are forced to research the advantages and disadvantages of the different ply structures, core materials, adhesives and top sheet thicknesses of plywood floors. Then, of course, can the plywood floor be refinished? As a hint, there is a thickness where the top sheet will begin to act more like a solid than a veneer which defeats the stability advantage.

On a final note, if a plywood floor and a solid hardwood floor are of equal quality, the plywood floor will cost more.

 Like engineered hardwood flooring, some appealing descriptions like resilient, luxury, life proof and water proof have been added to the vinyl name over the years. Well, vinyl by any other name is still the same basic product that was on your grandmother’s kitchen floor.  

Unlike solid hardwood flooring, vinyl is not susceptible to movement from water and humidity. However, high and low temperatures cause substantial expansion and contraction. In addition, direct sunlight on a dark vinyl floor exacerbates that condition.

Many brands of the vinyl plank flooring on the market today are waterproof which means the vinyl planks won’t absorb water. That however, doesn’t stop water from collecting under the vinyl planks and causing black mold.    

Last but not least, vinyl planks are printed with photographs of real wood planks. Inevitably, “plank” photographs will repeat in the same room, room to room and house to house.