Engineered hardwood fades Like any flooring, engineered hardwood will fade if exposed to sunlight and UV rays. Unfortunately, covering your space with an area rug or large piece of furniture will make things worse. Your floor will still fade, but only the exposed area.
Can engineered wood get wet?
When wood gets wet, the wood absorbs the water and begins to expand and eventually cup (or warp). If you have engineered hardwood, the water can also pass through the planks and loosen the glue beneath so that the floors start to pop up as they expand.
The next thing we asked ourselves was, what happens to wood when it gets wet?
A heavier, denser wood will do better with water than a light wood. Water also will cause breakdowns, such as rotting and molding on the wood. Once you know the type of wood you have, it’s important to treat any wood you’re using.
Is engineered wood water-resistant?
The core of most engineered wood floors is not water-resistant and will be damaged if it gets soaked in water. As soon as enough water is absorbed by the core, the floor will start to expand and cupping or buckling will happen.
And while engineered wood is more moisture-resistant than solid wood (as we mentioned), it will swell and buckle if it sits in standing moisture for too long. Translation: if you need some super water-resistant wood flooring, you might want to think outside of the engineered hardwood box.
What happens when engineered wood floors get wet?
Other, cheaper variations of engineered wooden flooring are made with layers of MDF underneath, which has a tendency to swell and cause a whole slew of other problems when it gets wet. Over time, if left exposed to water or moisture, a number of serious issues can arise, including:.
Engineered hardwood flooring offers the elegance of solid hardwood, but at a reduced cost and with a somewhat easier installation. When engineered wood floors get wet, however, it can be problematic, and you’ll want to act quickly.
One more inquiry we ran across in our research was “Can you use a wet mop on engineered wood floors?”.
Though engineered wood floors are water-resistant, the volume of water a wet mop holds is big enough to create areas on the floor with standing water. The constant pushing and pulling action of the wet mop against the engineered wood floors may also allow water to seep inside the joints of the floor into the core and cause irreparable damage.
The favorite answer is when water sits on top of hardwood floors, it can permanently ruin the hardwood as the wood will absorb the water through its pores causing warping and discoloration. So, if you have a flood or water damage (or even just a spill) on your hardwood flooring, you’ll want to remove the water and dry your floors as quickly as possible. Speed is the key.
Should I replace my engineered flooring with solid wood?
So while saving money you may end up spending more in the long run on a new floor to replace the engineered flooring should it become too dented or too scratched up. Experts also say that solid wood adds more value to a home than an engineered floor. Both types can be dented. Both can fade in heavy sunlight.
Engineered woods are more dimensionally stable than solid hardwoods. It means that engineered woods hold its shape better under moisture exposure better than solid hardwoods. This also means that engineered wood floors, unlike solid hardwood floors, can be installed in areas that are susceptible to moderate moisture exposure just like in basements.
The main appeal of hardwood flooring is its timeless look and that is something you will get with an engineered wooden floor. Engineered oak flooring is by far the most popular wood floor, this comes in a multitude of finishes and colours. Because of how its formed engineered hardwood flooring does have one big advantage over traditional hardwood.
So, now you know more about engineered hardwood let’s look the pros and cons of this flooring in more detail. While the traditional hardwood floor might be incredibly sort after, the reason imitation hardwood is so commonplace is because the “real deal” is often quite expensive. Engineered hardwood flooring is the perfect middle ground.