Engineered Wood Flooring

Whether engineered wood or solid wood is better depends on a number of factors, including where you’re installing it, your budget, and style preference.

• Engineered wood flooring is a better choice in high-moisture and high-temperature environments than solid hardwood, often making it a better choice for kitchens, bathrooms, and basements.

• It also depends on your budget. If you don’t want to break the bank, engineered wood will be much less expensive than solid wood.

• Solid hardwood might hold a slight prestige for some people and might add more value to your home in the long-run, but improvements in the product quality of engineered wood floors has eliminated the perception that it’s the less stylish option.

Engineered wood floors are incredibly hard-wearing, so if properly maintained can last for decades. Although engineered wood flooring can’t be refinished as often as hardwood flooring, its durable nature means that it often lasts up to 30 years or more before needing to be replaced.

Unfortunately, no, it’s not advisable to steam clean engineered wood floors due to their construction. The high heat and pressure will force moisture down into the joins and the lower layers of the wood, causing it to warp and bow, which will inevitably lead to your flooring needing to be replaced much sooner than you expected!

There are no ‘best’ cleaning products for engineered wood floors, but there are several you can’t use, such as those that are wax or ammonia-based, or those with harsh chemicals. There are specially designed engineered and hardwood floor cleaners you can buy that will be safe to use. Different manufacturers recommend different ones, and we suggest testing the cleaner on a spare board before using it on your floor. When it comes to cleaning engineered wood floors, we really know our stuff, but if you have any more questions about the best way to clean engineered wood floors or you’d like to take a look at our range of engineered wood floors, book a visit at your nearest Tapi store or contact us for more info. Alternatively, you can discover more of our care guides, including our laminate flooring care guide.