Solid and engineered flooring are two very different types of wood flooring.
Solid hardwood flooring is cut from a single piece of lumber—it’s solid all the way through. At 3/4-inch thick, solid flooring allows homeowners to strip, sand, and re-stain the planks several times without issue. Since solid flooring is cut from natural lumber with unique grain patterns, it can expand more dramatically in size and shape under excessive moisture conditions. As a result, solid hardwood must be
nailed down, and it is not recommended for areas of the home with high moisture content, such as the bath and basement.
Engineered hardwood flooring is produced by bonding five to nine layers of hardwood in a cross-grain configuration. As a result, engineered flooring is more stable and less likely to be affected by humidity changes than solid hardwood flooring. Engineered flooring can be installed with
staple-down,
glue-down, and
floating methods on all levels, including the basement.