Solid Hardwood vs Engineered Wood for Franklin, TN Homes

Solid hardwood and engineered wood both give a real wood surface, but they are built differently and suit different parts of a Franklin home.

How they are built

• Solid hardwood is one piece of wood, usually 3/4 inch thick. It can be sanded and refinished many times over its life.
• Engineered wood has a real hardwood wear layer glued over a plywood or composite core. The cross-ply core makes it more stable when humidity swings.

Where each one fits

• Over a wood subfloor on a crawl space or upper level, solid hardwood nailed down is the classic choice.
• Over a concrete slab, which is common in many newer subdivisions around Spring Hill, Nolensville, and Thompson's Station, engineered wood can be glued or floated where solid wood usually is not recommended.
• In basements and below-grade rooms, engineered wood is generally the safer wood option.

Refinishing over time

Solid hardwood can usually be sanded several times. Engineered wood depends on its wear layer: a thick wear layer may allow one or two full sandings, while a thin one may only take a screen-and-recoat. Ask for the wear-layer thickness in writing.

Questions to bring to a quote

• What subfloor is under each room?
• Nail, glue, or float, and why?
• What moisture readings were taken?
• What is the wear-layer thickness (engineered) or board thickness (solid)?