No matter how well seasoned, oiled, waxed or lacquered it may be, wood remains hygroscopic. So when humidity is high it will absorb some of that moisture, swell and rise or ‘crown’ in the middle. When that same piece is placed in a dry environment – as happens when using heating or air conditioning – it will release its moisture, dry out and shrink. Lay pieces side by side in a confined space and these changes in humidity can result in them bowing, warping, cupping or gaping over time. This is what can happen with traditional solid hardwood flooring.
Engineered hardwood floors consist of more than one layer. The top layer is solid wood, the other layers may be plywood, softwood or more layers of hardwood. Each layer is bonded to the next with the grain running at right angles. This makes it virtually impossible for the board to swell or shrink, meaning that when it is laid it is highly unlikely to warp and gap, or otherwise suffer in the same way as solid hardwood flooring.
The top layer of solid wood, otherwise known as the wear layer or veneer, may be anything from 2mm to 6mm. The thicker this top layer, the more times it may be sanded and refinished to remove any signs of wear. TheRightFloor only manufactures and sells engineered floors with at least 3.5mm wear layer and a number of floors with 6mm (almost 1/4″ thick) wear layer. A 6mm wear layer is similar to the depth above the tongue in a traditional, solid tongue and groove plank, meaning that it will wear just as well. Win-win for an engineered hardwood floors!