Engineered Hardwood Flooring in Rochester, NY

Engineered hardwood flooring is a layer of real hardwood bonded to a core of plywood or other wood layers set at cross angles. The top looks and feels like solid wood because it is wood; the core resists the swelling and shrinking that make solid boards cup and gap. That makes engineered flooring the usual pick for finished basements, rooms built on concrete, and spots where humidity swings are hard to control, which describes a lot of Rochester basements in August and a lot of living rooms in February.

Wear layer thickness matters

The hardwood top layer is what you walk on and what can be sanded later. Thin veneers may never take a full sanding; thicker ones can be refinished, though fewer times than solid wood. HomeGnome describes veneers from about 1/16 inch on basic products up to 1/6 inch on high-end ones, and says engineered floors can be sanded "a few times." We read the spec sheet with you and say plainly whether a given product can ever be refinished.

Three ways to install it

• Nail or staple down over a wood subfloor, like solid wood.
• Glue down directly to a flat concrete slab, after the slab is tested for moisture.
• Floating, where boards lock or glue to each other over an underlayment and are not fastened to the floor. HomeGnome notes click-lock floating installs fall near the low end of labor costs.

The manufacturer's instructions decide which methods are allowed for a product and what the subfloor has to look like.

Basements and slabs

Before engineered wood goes over concrete, the slab gets a moisture test and, depending on the product, a vapor barrier or a moisture-blocking adhesive. A basement that floods or has standing water in spring is not a place for any wood floor; we will tell you if we think that is the case.

Manufacturer warranties

Engineered products usually come with a manufacturer's finish and structural warranty. The terms are set by the maker, not by the installer, and they often require the product to be installed and kept within stated humidity ranges. We list the product so you can read its warranty before you buy.

Over radiant heat

Many engineered products are rated for in-floor radiant heat when solid wood is not, because they move less as the slab warms and cools. The manufacturer's limits on surface temperature still apply.