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If you’re looking to invest in some high-quality hardwood flooring, you must have heard of engineered wood. It is gaining popularity very quickly, and no wonder!
Engineered wood was invented in the 1960s. With time and expertise, manufacturers learned how to make it even better.
Engineered wood flooring makes up for 30% of all wood flooring sold in the US. There are many different species of wood you can choose from. You can also request different surface effects. With engineered wood, you can make your house look vintage.
We prepared this guide with the best engineered wood flooring brands to push you in the right direction. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know before you invest in some hardwood floors!
Everything You Need to Know About the Best Engineered Wood Flooring Brands
First of all, you need to summarize your demands. Will there be a lot of foot traffic on the floors? Will you be able to take good care of them? Can you deal with regular maintenance?
If the area is densely populated and has heavy foot traffic, but receives very little maintenance, you need a thick wear layer that can be sanded down.
If the area doesn’t have heavy foot traffic and will receive a lot of care, you don’t need a thick wear layer.
High-quality engineered wood flooring is very durable. So much so, that it’s often used in shopping malls and other places with a lot of foot traffic.
What is engineered wood flooring?
If you’re reading this guide, you probably already know what engineered wood flooring is. Anyway, let’s specify!
Engineered wood is not fake wood. It might not be solid throughout, but it is real hardwood fixed to a composite wood core. You can hardly tell the difference between solid and engineered wood after installation.
How is engineered wood produced?
Engineered wood is made of multi-ply construction. It is made by stacking 3-5 sheets of plywood together and laminating them into plank form.
The layers are stacked on top of each other and crisscrossed in opposite directions. Cross-ply construction ensures that each plank is dimensionally stable and will not cave or move. It also prevents wood from contracting and expanding with changes in temperature and humidity.
Is engineered wood right for you?
Image source: Feil Inc. Wood Flooring & Stairs
Contrary to popular belief, the installation is DIY-friendly. Most boards come pre-finished, but you can order unfinished boards too if you prefer.
There is a huge selection of different wood species and surface treatments to choose from. Engineered wood is even suitable for basements, while solid wood usually isn’t.
Environmental concerns
Image source: Feil Inc. Wood Flooring & Stairs
The majority of the flooring sold in North America is manufactured overseas. The environmental standards in other countries are often different from the US. That may raise some concerns regarding VOC’s and formaldehyde.
Your floor covering needs to comply with CARB2, which is a set of indoor air quality guidelines. When using pre-finished wood floors, make sure the manufacturer complies with the guidelines of volatile organic compounds too. Both impact indoor air quality, which can harm your health.
Why does hardness matter?
Image source: Timberland Hardwood Floors Inc
It comes as no surprise that the harder layers are more resilient to dents and wear and tear. They will continue looking good for a longer time. However, hardness isn’t the only thing that impacts durability.
Dense woods, such as maple, show dings and signs of aging more often. Softer woods, like red oak, are more resilient.
How much does it cost?
Image source: Naos Floors Ltd.
Engineered wood flooring costs approximately 20% more than unfinished solid boards. Count in the cost of labor and other miscellaneous costs, and it’s not a big jump. On average, engineered wood costs between $4 and $14 per square foot.
Finishes
Image source: Istoria by Jordan Andrews
You can choose between ordering pre-finished and unfinished hardwood. Engineered flooring is usually pre-finished, as it makes the installation process much easier. You can find unfinished engineered flooring as well if you so prefer.
Quality guidelines
Image source: TileStyle
When looking for an engineered wood manufacturer, look for the following elements:
- High-quality hardwood veneer wear layer.
- Strong and stable core layer.
- Non-toxic flooring.
- A wide selection of plank lengths and widths.
Reviews of the Best Engineered Wood Flooring Brands
As engineered hardwood is gaining popularity, the number of solid hardwood flooring brands is dropping. The weaker brands can’t handle the competition, so it’s easier to identify the stronger ones.
Good hardwood just doesn’t cut it anymore! New brands are emerging in different niches. That makes it easier for customers to find exactly what they’re looking for.
Here are some of the best brands that offer engineered hardwood flooring, in no particular order.
Hurst Hardwoods
Hurst Hardwoods is a trusted retailer with a great reputation. Homeowners and contractors alike are satisfied with this brand.
In case its reputation doesn’t say it all, it’s also a family-owned business. Hurts Hardwoods is a member of the National Wood Flooring Association.
The brand offers a 30-year warranty on its engineered hardwood. Keep in mind that that warranty is void if the flooring was installed over radiant heating.
Kahrs
Kahrs offers very high-quality products. The brand has an exceptional locking system that makes the joints very tight.
The production factory is located in Smaland, Sweden. Kahrs also has minor factories in Romania, Poland, and China.
Kahrs uses trees from North America, such as American Cherry, North American Maple, and Walnut. However, everything is still manufactured in Sweden. The brand’s ash and beech products are sourced in Scandinavia.
Even exotic woods like Brazilian Cherry from South America are manufactured in Sweden. The company is very green and eco-friendly. Kahrs takes up initiatives such as harvesting trees with sustainability and replanting. The company operates with an emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendliness.
Mohawk
If you’ve done any research at all, you must have heard of Mohawk. It’s the largest flooring company in the world! It most certainly has the largest variety. There are over 800 products in just the engineered wood line. As you can tell, the selection is outstanding, though a bit overwhelming.
Mohawk offers different widths, thicknesses, and species of wood. You can choose from a wide variety of finishes too. Beveled edges, for example, give the floor depth.
The size and reach of the company are huge. You can find Mohawk products everywhere. Walk into a huge retailer like Home Depot, or check out your smaller local home improvement store.
Mohawk also offers a wide range of trims and moldings.
Lumber Liquidators House Brands
This one is a brick-and-mortar store where you can get relatively cheap flooring.
Bellawood, the house brand, offers pre-finished solid and engineered hardwood flooring. The prices are good and the quality is decent. Of course, it’s probably not as good as the more expensive brands.
Order 17% more flooring than needed, as per the website’s recommendation. Some of the boards come with defects.
Armstrong
Armstrong is a company with a long history and extensive expertise in flooring. You will find 145 engineered wood products, 34 of which are made in North America.
There is a very high number of engineered wood options. They come in a variety of colors, wood species, and textured finishes. You can also choose from different veneer thicknesses and plywood core layers.
Armstrong offers different installation methods for floating floors, glued floors, and nailed floors. Visit the official website to find out what experience you need to instal any type of flooring yourself!
Anderson Tuftex Hardwood
Anderson Tuftex Hardwood is often considered the industry standard.
Anderson created the Cross-Lock system of engineered wood flooring installation. 5 separate wood plies are laid in alternating directions. That creates a strong and durable plank.
Lauzon Flooring
Lauzon Flooring is a Canadian brand. The brand focuses on being eco-friendly. It uses sustainable forest management and selective harvesting practices.
Lauzon Flooring works with domestic species, as well as exotic wood. There are only 3 collections, but 12 different series! Each collection is different.
Let’s look at the Designer collection. It features high-quality domestic and exotic wood species in a variety of shades.
Pergo
Pergo is actually the creator of laminate flooring. The brand came up with the idea for laminate in the 1970s, but that doesn’t take away from its engineered hardwood! It is now one of the leading manufacturers of both.
Pergo Max is the name of Pergo’s engineered wood line. There are only 3 options to choose from: hickory, maple, and oak. All come in a variety of light, medium, and dark shades. Some of the finishing options include hand-scraped, smooth, and wire-brushed.
Mannington
Mannington offers consistently good-quality products. Most of its hardwood is manufactured in North America, with only a fraction in Guatemala. Naturally, the majority of the wood species are from North America.
If you want to find out more about this brand, all you need to do is check their website. It’s very detailed!
The product line is diverse. The brand offers quality hardwood at different price points.
Hosking Hardwood
If you’ve seen “This Old House” on PBS, you’ll know Jeff Hosking. Jeff Hosking started as an apprentice in a family business and grew to become a wood flooring expert.
The company was started in 1932, but it only recently began offering products online, in 1997! In the selection, you will find engineered and solid hardwood. The offerings include great products from big manufacturers. Don’t miss out on the smaller independent manufacturers though! You’ll find those at Hosking Hardwood as well.
Mercier
Mercier is not very well known compared to the other brands mentioned. The wood is sourced in North America, but both of the mills are located in Quebec, Canada. Mercier also offers a variety of exotic South American species.
The brand is eco-friendly. The finish is made from 100% soybean oil, which is safe and non-toxic for humans and animals. You can choose from many different looks that will go well with the decor in your house.
Shaw
You can find Shaw products in big stores and small local stores. There is a lot to choose from! For starters, there are many different tree species, including pine, maple, oak, and birch. Shaw also offers an extensive list of textured finishes. Those include smooth, subtle scraped, heavy scraped, wire-brushed, and distressed.
Go for a modern look or an old-colonial feel. Choose from a variety of different installation methods. Some examples are: click-together, glued, or nailed.
Bruce
Bruce is a very traditional brand when it comes to style. There are several collections with a classic aesthetic. The names should tell you everything you need to know: American Honor, Blacksmith’s Forge, and Next Frontier.
Though it might not seem like it, the brand offers a good range of styles and colors. There are as many as 158 different engineered hardwood options you can choose from.
The manufacturing and sourcing are in line with the style – local. Solid hardwood is manufactured and sourced in the US. So is engineered wood, except for the TimberBrushed, Artesian Hand Tooled, and Rust Accents collections.
Bruce uses domestic wood species, such as oak, walnut, birch, cherry, hickory, pecan, and maple. The exotic species include Brazilian cherry, tigerwood, Sapele, santon mahogany, acacia, and cabreuva.
Somerset Hardwood Flooring
Somerset Hardwood Flooring manufactures all the wood in North America. The brand specializes in Appalachian hardwoods. If you’re looking for exotic trees, you won’t find them. However, you’ll be impressed with the quality of the oak, hickory, and maple.
Overall, there are 6 collections, and each one is very different. The collections go as follows: Hand Crafted, Classic, Character, Specialty, Wide Plank, and Color Plank. There is something for everyone!
Harris Wood
Harris Woods offers domestic, engineered wood flooring that is made in the US. The range is small, but there are still some nice options in there. Especially so if you like hickory and red oak.
The looks are mostly classy and traditional, with some contemporary floors. A great example of that is Red Oak Sterling Grey from the Traditions SpringLoc collection. The hickory floors from the Highlands collection are worth a look too! The planks in both are 7-inches wide.
Indusparquet
The last one of these best engineered wood flooring brands is Indusparquet. This brand was started in Brazil in 1970. Over the years, it has become a popular worldwide manufacturer of engineered hardwood flooring.
There is a whole list of options, with different tree species and board widths. Some are so good, they are even recommended for wall installation!
FAQs about the best-engineered wood flooring brands
1. What are the top engineered wood flooring brands on the market today?
Today’s leading manufacturers of engineered wood flooring are Mohawk, Shaw, Armstrong, and Bruce. These companies have built a solid reputation by providing a variety of high-end, long-lasting, and fashionable engineered wood flooring solutions.
2. How do the top engineered wood flooring brands compare in terms of quality and durability?
Most of the leading manufacturers of engineered wood flooring provide strong, high-quality materials. Many of these businesses produce their flooring using premium materials and techniques, that are durable, scratch- and wear-resistant, and simple to maintain.
3. Which brands offer the most diverse range of wood species and finishes?
There is a wide variety of wood species and finishes available from some of the best-engineered wood flooring manufacturers. Engineered wood flooring is available from companies like Shaw and Mohawk in a selection of wood species like oak, maple, hickory, and walnut as well as a choice of finishes like hand-scraped, wire-brushed, and smooth.
4. What is the price range for the best-engineered wood flooring brands?
Depending on variables like the brand, the wood species and finish, and the general product quality, the price range for the top engineered wood flooring brands can vary significantly. Top manufacturers’ premium engineered wood flooring typically costs between $3 and $10 per square foot consumers.
5. Which brands offer the best warranties for their products?
Many of the leading manufacturers of engineered wood flooring provide fantastic warranties for their goods. For instance, some of Shaw’s alternatives for engineered wood flooring come with a 50-year residential warranty, while Armstrong’s products come with a 30-year warranty.
6. What are the installation requirements for the top engineered wood flooring brands?
Depending on the brand and product, different top engineered wood flooring brands may have different installation requirements. However, in order to guarantee the greatest outcomes, these brands often advise professional installation. To aid customers in getting the greatest results, several of these brands also provide thorough installation instructions and suggestions.
7. Which brands offer eco-friendly options for consumers who are environmentally conscious?
For customers who are concerned about the environment, several of the top manufacturers of engineered wood flooring have green solutions. For instance, companies like Shaw provide goods that are created from recycled materials and have earned certification from agencies like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
8. What are the maintenance requirements for engineered wood flooring from different brands?
Depending on the quality and finish, the upkeep requirements for different brands of engineered wood flooring can change. However, it is generally advised that customers wipe down their engineered wood flooring with a damp mop on a regular basis to avoid damaging the finish and avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners.
9. What are the differences between the various lines offered by a single brand in terms of quality and cost?
Many of the main manufacturers of engineered wood flooring provide a variety of product lines at various price ranges and degrees of quality. Higher-end products with features like thicker wear layers, more lifelike wood textures, and wider plank widths are often more expensive for consumers to purchase.
10. How do customer reviews and ratings compare different engineered wood flooring brands?
Customer feedback and ratings can offer insightful information about the caliber, dependability, and general satisfaction of customers who have bought engineered wood flooring from various brands. Top companies like Mohawk, Shaw, and Armstrong typically receive excellent marks from customers for the quality, longevity, and style of their goods, though individual experiences can vary.
Ending thoughts on the best engineered wood flooring brands you can pick from
If you’ve decided to go with engineered hardwood for your home or office, you made the right choice! Engineered hardwood flooring is great for those who want the authentic hardwood floor look combined with the versatility of laminate and vinyl. It’s not a cheap option, but it really is the best of both worlds.
There is a lot to choose from! Consider the tones of the wood. Make sure they match with the design of your space. Don’t forget about material durability. You want your floors to last you a long time!
This selection should help you get started on your journey. We hope that you have a better understanding of the different types of engineered hardwood now. Pick the brand that resonated with you the most. If sustainability plays an important role in your decision-making, choose a sustainable and eco-friendly manufacturer.
Quality is the most important factor. Make sure that the wood is very high-quality. Remember what you need to look for in your engineered hardwood flooring, and what you should avoid. You can’t go wrong with any of the options mentioned in this guide!
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