Despite the many composites available, Australian homeowners prefer the look and feel of a solid timber floor, and who could blame them? Solid wood flooring lasts for years and years and there’s nothing quite like the look and feel of a solid timber floor, or is there? The latest innovation comes in the form of engineered boards that look and feel like solid timber, yet are a fraction of the cost.
Photo by Nancy HugoWhat is Engineered Flooring?
Made from a hevea composite core and a spruce backing, this multi-layered boarding has all the qualities of solid timber flooring, yet is a fraction of the price of solid timber. As the boards are made up of multiple layers, there is absolutely no movement, which cannot be said of solid timber planking, and as the outer surface is made from real timber, you get the best of both worlds – real timber at composite prices. The multiple layers are criss-crossed for added strength, making for a material that will not bend or warp, regardless of the temperature.
Wide Range of Timber Species
We all have a particular favourite, which might be oak, ask, walnut or mahogany and engineered flooring doesn’t disappoint. Various shades of natural brown, with stunning timber grain finishes allow you to coordinate with the existing décor and with a special backing, the boards feel like solid timber. You might have a solid timber floor in most rooms of the house and are looking for something for the kitchen and bathroom and engineered flooring provides the perfect solution. Totally waterproof, it is ideal for wet and high traffic areas and you can find a good match for your existing timber flooring. Although engineered flooring is technically a composite, the outer surface is real timber and is scratch and scuff resistant, ensuring a durable and long-lasting finish.
Online Suppliers
If you would like to explore the potential that engineered flooring offers, sourcing a local supplier couldn’t be easier, and with a Google search, you will have a list of companies that will be happy to quote for the project. Not all timber flooring stores stock engineered flooring, so make sure you contact one that offers this amazing alternative to solid timber and ask them to send someone to your home where you can take a good look at the various finishes.
Value for Money
Of all the available flooring materials, none offers the value for money that engineered flooring brings and you might be surprised at just how affordable engineered flooring really is. Tough, durable and with all the benefits of solid timber, engineered flooring is without a doubt the most popular flooring solution and if it is laid by professionals, you can expect to enjoy many years of trouble-free use.
Don’t settle for anything less than a real timber surface for your flooring and with engineered boards, you have both the look and feel of solid timber, at a fraction of the cost of solid timber. Call out your local flooring expert to quote for engineered flooring and you’ll be glad you did.
