Considering installing wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg? Thousands of homeowners love the earthy, exquisite finish that a wood floor holds. Today the options for wood-loving homeowners are many. Far from just having solid wood as an option, engineered wood floors ensure you can get the best a real wood floor has to offer, with some benefits. It largely comes down to where in the house you want to install your floor. Here’s the difference so you can decide what works for you.

Solid wood floors

In older homes or for owners with expansive budgets who do not mind slightly more upkeep, solid wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg is still the go-to.

As the name suggests, the planks are made of solid wood all the way through. They vary in thickness. Solid wood floors hold immense aesthetic appeal and lend a feeling of grandeur to your rooms. They can be used anywhere as long as rooms are above ground – below ground rooms can be dark and dank, attracting mould. It is best to use a more practical option in areas such as kitchens and bathrooms though.

The usual concern with these floors is the wood swelling when it rains. It can lead to one or more planks ‘lifting’. The wood cells naturally hold and attract moisture, which is what causes this.

The wonderful thing about solid wood is that it can be sanded and given a new finish many times over.

Engineered wood floors

These are also real wood floors, but the layers are not solid. The layers are made of wood veneers which can be the same type of wood as on the surface, or different. The grain of each separate layer runs at 90-degree angles. This adds a highly stable core dimension, making the wood less prone to swelling and shrinking.

The are many ways of installing engineered wood flooring in Pietermaritzburg. It can be glued down to wood or concrete below and you can use it in rooms below ground, such as a sub-ground garage or entertainment room. It can also be stapled or nailed to a wood floor.

It is a high quality product that handles moisture better, but you cannot sand it down and have it refinished as many times as with normal wood floors.