What is an engineered wooden floor?

Engineered wooden flooring as the name suggests is an engineered product mainly consisting of different layers of wood. There are typically two types of engineered wood floors. Three layer engineered wooden flooring and multi-layer engineered wooden flooring. (Though some manufacturers offer two layers as well, but this is not common in the Indian market). The Three layer engineered wood flooring consists of a top layer of real wood (this may be 2mm or more on top), a middle layer of spruce/pine and a bottom balancing layer made of veneer. These three layers constitute a single plank. The multi-layer engineered wood floor would have a 2mm or more top layer and this is pressed onto a plywood and hence the name multi-layer. The thickness of the product can vary from supplier to supplier.


Which is a better product. Three layer engineered wooden flooring or multi-layer engineered wooden flooring.

Three layer engineered wooden floors are normally produced in Europe due to the availability of spruce and pine in that region. Most European engineered wood flooring producers offer a product that confirms to European norms and hence the product is of a very high quality. The stability of the product becomes important when you use a natural wood product and hence the quality of the manufacturer is important. Multi-layer engineered wood flooring is mainly produced in China and South east Asia. It is not easy to decide which of the product is the better one. My personal suggestion is that in India the quality of plywood used to make such products becomes of prime importance on account of the fact that India has termite issues and if the plywood is not of the right quality then there are always problems. Spruce and pine have no such issues and hence becomes easier to depend on. This is my personal view. If the product is manufactured with good quality raw materials, then either of the options should be ok for a consumer looking for engineered wooden flooring.


What are the advantages and disadvantages of engineered wooden flooring?

Engineered wood floors are today one of the best options for your homes when you want to look at real wood floors. Such floors are available in a wide range of species such as oak engineered wood floors, teak engineered wooden flooring, walnut engineered wooden flooring and with many stain options. These floors offer the customer the right choice to enhance their interior spaces. Today's technology enables the supplier to offer the floor with the easy click lock system and with wide and long planks that bring in an element of grand looking floors.

 Advantages of engineered wooden flooring

• It's a 100% natural product.
• It’s a multi-layer or three-layer product hence very stable.
• It is very appealing to the eyes and to touch. It can be used for a number of years.
• Engineered wood floors act as an insulator and hence warm on the feet in winter and not hot in summers.
• Cheaper than solid wood floors they are affordable as real wooden floors.

Disadvantages of engineered wooden flooring

• Engineered wood top layer being real wood by nature is soft (even though we use hardwoods) and hence susceptible to indentation if pointed objects fall on the floor or with stiletto heels.
• Engineered wooden floors are expensive compared to laminate flooring.
• Once the lacquer(polish) wears off it may need re-sanding and re-polishing which is expensive and time consuming.

Having understood the advantages and disadvantages of engineered wooden flooring I am sure will make your decision easier whether engineered wooden flooring is an ideal choice for your use. Those of you who still love the look and feel for real timber will have no problem with its disadvantages. Some of you who do not want to spend the money on real wood top layers then look for laminate flooring options. Some of the high-end products try and come close to wood.


I hope this has cleared some of the doubts that often come to a customer's mind and makes it easier for you to choose the right wooden flooring for your home! Contact us today to learn more!



Wood on the blog is written by Priyesh Mody who has 25 years of experience in this industry