Engineered hardwood floors are one of the great innovations in flooring to hit the home improvement market. Engineered hardwood is not made from expensive solid wood. It manufactured from several layers and only the top layer is hardwood. This top layer is the beautiful (and pricey) hardwood that you have always dreamed of having in your home. The under layers are specifically designed to give maximum durability and stability, making this a practical floor for just about any room in your home.

The modern engineered wood floor compares favorably with solid hardwood floors and may even be a better choice. To start with engineered wood flooring doesn't cost as much as solid hardwood floors. The interior layers of the engineered flooring are plywood or high density fiberboard. When pressed together at the factory these layers form into a solid floor that will not be affected by temperature and humidity like solid wood floors. You can install it over most existing flooring and it can even be used over a radiant heat source.

The top layer of engineered wood flooring is pre-finished, which means that it's already sanded and sealed. So as soon as the floor has been laid, you can walk on it. This is in contrast to an unfinished floor, which must be sealed and which requires waiting time before use. Note: solid hardwood is available pre-finished, as well. Engineered wood flooring may work well in some basements and little-used bathrooms where only light moisture might be present. Still, it doesn't hold up to really wet areas such as basements that may flood. Nor does it hold up to kids' bathrooms which...well, also tend to flood frequently. No wood flooring product is great for these very wet areas.

Being it is a great price is why the majority of homeowner choose engineered wood flooring. It gives the same beautiful look and texture as if it were hardwood, this is if you are getting hardwood at wholesale prices. Engineered hardwood is very simple to install and it comes with very direct instructions in each carton of flooring. The one thing you will need to be completely sure of is that there is no dust or dirt on your sub-floor due to the fact you do not want no bits to work their way through your flooring.

There are a lot of different engineered wood floors that come in many types of wood, finishes and stains. You may also choose unfinished hardwood, however, if you are looking for a project which is pretty simple, it would be wise to use the prefinished type. Once you have your engineered hardwood flooring installed, you will not have to worry about staining or finishing. You can then relax, sit back and enjoy the beauty of your new engineered hardwood floor.