Maintaining and Caring for Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Essential Tips for Longevity

As hardwood floors continue to grow in popularity, the companies that make them are expanding the product choices that are available. One of the most intriguing is engineered hardwood flooring, which has some interesting differences that separate it from other types of flooring.

One of the issues that comes with engineered hardwood flooring is longevity, which is a byproduct of ongoing maintenance and care. It’s important to know what’s involved before you make your purchase, so let’s consider the longevity issue in engineered hardwood flooring.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring and the Durability Question

The logical place to start when looking at engineered hardwood flooring is to do some basic comparisons, so we’ll start there.

Unlike solid hardwood floors, engineered hardwood flooring is made up of layers of hardwood planks and plywood. Each layer is positioned differently, which keeps the wood from warping or cupping when exposed to water or temperature variations. This is a huge advantage and the reason why kitchens are a popular area of the home to have engineered hardwood floors.

The durability that gives you is one advantage, and engineered hardwood flooring can also be effectively installed in areas with a slightly uneven grade. The top layer is still a veneer of real hardwood, so it does offer the same timeless beauty you’d expect with solid hardwood floors.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care for Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Some of the maintenance basics for engineered hardwood flooring will sound similar. You still need to sweep or dust before you bring out the mop, and the mop should always be damp, never saturated. You can also use a dry dust mop if you’d like.

Other maintenance basics apply. That means cleaning up spills quickly, and when your engineered hardwood flooring does get scratched lightly, you can use a scratch concealer to help restore the original look of your flooring.

Going the Distance with Engineered Hardwood Flooring

For those who really want to get decades of use from their engineered hardwood flooring, there are some extra tips you can follow to get that kind of durability.

One is to select a wood with natural longevity. Oak and maple combine strength, durability and the ability to handle heavy foot traffic, and they’ll both resist scratches and gouges as well.

Hickory is another great choice. It’s one of the hardest US species, and it has a unique grain pattern that will set your engineered hardwood flooring apart from the herd.

Also, choose a finish that’s designed to go the distance. The good news about engineered hardwood flooring is that there are plenty of finish products designed to add years to your floors, and refinishing is relatively simple.

According to the National Wood Floors Association, you can add a new coat of finish every 3-5 years, then refinish every few decades, as long as your engineered hardwood floor has a thick wear layer on top to begin with.

Use Signature Hardwood Floors to Make Your Engineered Hardwood Flooring Last

If you want to get the most out of your engineered hardwood flooring, Signature Hardwood Floors can show you how. We’ve installed thousands of floors, we know the products and we can fix and repair any problems you have with your engineered hardwood flooring.

To learn more about engineered hardwood flooring and what’s involved in making it last, call us at (410) 415-0755, or you can use this link to get more info and schedule a free in-home consultation.