The Floor Room guide to choosing engineered wood flooring

Strong, stable and resilient with style that’s truly long-lasting – engineered wood flooring might just be the floor of your dreams. If you’d like to know why, The Floor Room engineered wood flooring buying guide tells you all you need to know about this fabulous flooring and introduces you to the wide-ranging benefits of cork flooring.

Not sure what extras engineered wood flooring needs? Our underlay and flooring accessories buying guide is for you.

Still considering other flooring options? Take a look at all our flooring buying guides.

As the name suggests, engineered wood flooring is designed to give you all the natural charm of solid wood flooring with some extra built-in benefits.

10 reasons to love engineered wood flooring

1. Because it’s made with real wood veneers, every piece of engineered wood flooring is unique.
2. Engineered wood flooring is easier to install than solid wood flooring.
3. Engineered wood flooring comes in lots of natural shades and finishes.
4. Engineered wood flooring resists warping in heat or humidity.
5. Engineered wood flooring is less likely than solid wood to swell or shrink.
6. Depending on the thickness of the top layer of veneer, engineered wood flooring can even be sanded and re-stained.
7. Engineered wood flooring can be made water-resistant.
8. Engineered wood flooring works with underfloor heating.
9. Engineered wood flooring is often made from renewable materials.
10. Engineered wood flooring is often recyclable at the end of its life.

Engineered wood flooring is constructed from several layers of thin timber boards bonded together and finished with a veneer of real wood on either side. This means it’s more stable than solid wood – it won’t crack under heavy traffic and is less likely to warp in humidity or swell in heat than traditional wood flooring.
 
The middle timber layers are usually softwood or plywood, while the top and bottom veneer layers can be made from all sorts of different hardwoods to give your floor the finish you’re after. The veneers come in a range of thicknesses, usually between 1 mm and 5 mm. The thicker the veneer, the tougher it is. 

It’s worth remembering that veneer can scratch, so consider whether you’ll be happy for your engineered wood floor to develop a more lived-in look over time or if you’re up for a spot of maintenance to keep it looking its best.

Despite being made from a natural material, engineered wood flooring is as versatile as almost any other type of flooring.

Engineered wood flooring in living rooms

The natural warmth of engineered wood is the perfect partner for stylish living rooms and sociable gathering spaces.

Engineered wood flooring in dining rooms

As most engineered wood flooring has a sealed top layer, it handles spillages well. It won’t suffer any long-lasting damage as long as spills are mopped up quickly.  

Engineered wood flooring in bathrooms

Yes, you can enjoy the look of solid wood flooring in a room as damp as your bathroom. Our water-resistant engineered wood flooring collection is the perfect choice for bathrooms.

Engineered wood flooring in kitchens

Engineered wood is perfect for kitchens. As well as giving you that stylish modern country look, our engineered wood flooring can withstand moisture and kitchen spills thanks to a protective layer of lacquer or oil. We also offer water-resistant engineered wood flooring.

Engineered wood flooring in bedrooms

Bedrooms tend to be low foot traffic areas, so there’s less chance of damaging wood flooring. And, of course, the look of warm wood floors can really transform a bedroom. 

Engineered wood flooring in hallways and landings

A high-traffic hallway needs something handsome but hard-wearing. A securely fitted engineered wood floor with a protective, easy-clean veneer will step up to the job nicely.

Natural? Yes. Boring? No. Engineered wood comes in so many natural wood colours and looks, from rustic to polished.  

Oak engineered wood flooring

Oak engineered wood flooring gives you the same ageless, rich-toned look as solid oak flooring, and it’s simpler to install. It also works perfectly with underfloor heating.

Maple engineered wood flooring

Pale and creamy with a subtle grained look, maple is a light neutral wood that works in all kinds of interior looks. And as it’s a renewable resource, it’s an eco-friendly choice too.

Ash engineered wood flooring

A mid-toned wood with a lightly swirled grain, ash wood flooring can be oiled, washed or distressed and looks beautiful in clean, minimal spaces as well as rustic cottage-style rooms.

Your wood flooring finish can make a huge difference to how your fitted wood flooring looks. 
 

Satin lacquer wood finish

A satin lacquer wood finish adds a thicker top layer to protect your floor from scratches and spills and has a soft glossy appearance that helps to bounce light around your room.

Matt lacquer wood finish

A matt lacquer wood finish offers excellent resistance to damage and fading in a smooth non-shiny finish that looks more like traditionally oiled or waxed wood.

Oiled wood finish

An oiled wood finish gives a smooth, natural finish with light protection for your wood floor. However, it will require reapplying more often than a satin or matt lacquered finish. 

Whatever type of engineered wood flooring you choose, know that it'll likely be much easier to install than real hardwood floorboards, and that can reduce the cost of professional floor fitting. 

Floating engineered wood flooring

Floating engineered wood flooring is relatively easy to install thanks to its click system. Although it’s known as “floating”, your subfloor might still need preparing to ensure that it’s smooth and level.

Glue-down engineered wood flooring

Glue-down engineered wood floorboards are linked to each other with a tongue-and-groove system and are then secured directly to the subfloor with a strong adhesive. This method makes the floor more stable and less likely to warp, so it’s a good option for rooms with moisture, like bathrooms. 

Nail-down engineered wood flooring

Nail-down engineered wood flooring is attached to the subfloor with nails or staples. This means that the planks simply won’t shift or move, even in high-traffic spaces. This the most time-consuming way to lay an engineered wood floor and does require that your room has a plywood subfloor.

Our engineered wood flooring range also includes versatile and stylish cork flooring. But why choose cork for your home?

Cork flooring is so comfortable underfoot

Cork flooring is naturally elastic so it absorbs impact and provides a comfy cushioned surface that’s kind to joints and resilient to foot traffic. 

Cork flooring is very durable

Cork flooring is more than capable of resisting the wear and tear of daily life. Its cellular structure makes it resistant to scratches, dents and impact from dropped objects and heavy furniture.
 

Cork flooring can help insulate a room

Cork’s incredible insulting properties – both in terms of heat and sound – can help you maintain your room’s indoor temperature to reduce energy consumption and enhance its noise proofing properties.
 

Cork flooring is an eco-friendly choice

Sustainable cork is harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree without causing harm to the tree. The bark regenerates naturally. 
 

Cork flooring is hypoallergenic 

A healthy flooring choice for many families, cork is naturally resistant to mould, mildew and pests and doesn’t absorb dust or allergens for better indoor air quality.

Take a look at our FAQs pages for answers to many engineered wood flooring questions. 

And feel free to pop into your local store and have a chat with one of our flooring experts. They can answer all your questions and help you choose the perfect engineered wood flooring for your home.

If you'd like to learn how wood flooring might work in your home, simply book an in-home consultation with a flooring expert to discuss your options and view samples. This consultation also includes free room measuring and cost estimate.

In the meantime, you can request up to four free samples of our wood flooring and we’ll deliver them to your door.

Your next steps to fabulous flooring

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