Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood is a multi-layer flooring product: a thin real wood veneer (the wear layer) is bonded over several layers of plywood or high-density fiberboard (HDF). The result looks and feels like solid hardwood on the surface but behaves more stably in response to humidity and temperature changes.

The cross-ply construction of the core resists expansion and contraction, making engineered hardwood suitable for installation over concrete subfloors, in basements, and over radiant heat systems where solid hardwood would be problematic. It can be installed via glue-down, floating, or nail-down methods.

The wear layer thickness—which ranges from 1mm to 6mm depending on the product—determines how many times the floor can be refinished or recoated. A 2mm wear layer can typically support one or two light refinishing passes; a 6mm wear layer can handle several. Recoating (rather than sanding) preserves more wear layer per maintenance cycle.

Engineered hardwood is common in homes built after 2000 in the Denver metro area, while pre-2000 homes more commonly feature solid hardwood. Both types can be professionally cleaned and recoated—the assessment during your free estimate will confirm what's appropriate for your specific floor.