It only takes one pass through a molder to convert a piece of lumber into solid flooring. So solid should be cheaper than engineered, unless the engineered is thin wear layer on a soft core. A three-ply thin wear layer, engineered, is a wall panel in disguise. A wear layer less than 3.2 mils might be resanded once, repeat, might. Thin wear layer, short pieces, easy to make, easy to put in boxes,(what you find in big box stores), looks like laminate on your floor.
25 and 50 year finish warranties are as good as the ultra fine print. Give me any floor finish and I can wear it out in 2-3 years. ALL the al oxide finishes are TOXIC when sanded to refinish, remove children, pets, etc. These new "miracle" finishes are a result of EPA rules on emissions-- great on emissions, but highly toxic. In Europe 95% of floors are hard oil finished, easy to touch up, look like wood, not plastic. Here, 95% are brush-finished in place using polyurethane which is non-toxic. But all the big box boys need volume fast, hence the miracle finishes. Most of the engineered floors they sell have wear layers too thin to sand, so they must sell them as prefinished! I personally turn red when exposed to the sanding dust from these toxic finishes! ! Last trip to the ER -cortisone shots- convinced me!.
Engineered is the only code-approved flooring for direct concrete glue down. A glued down thick wear layer engineered is both quiet and easy on the feet. Many of our customers are suprised at the great feel of the floor to walk on.
When you glue down a thin wear layer engineered floor you are stuck in more ways than one. Solid is not approved for direct glue down to concrete by any building code. There is a reason--it won't work! Others are now selling 1/2" solid for glue down to concrete. WE will not offer that floor for direct concrete glue down. We do offer 1/2" for installation over a sub floor.
You should be paying for wearability in a hardwood floor. You can only sand a solid down to the tongue and groove to refinish. Our top quality engineered has the same usable wear layer down to the tongue and groove. The wider the plank, the more cupping, warp, and expansion you will see in a solid floor. If you want tight seams, in a wide plank floor, better go engineered.
If your budget will not permit a thick wear layer engineered for a concrete application, you are better off with laminate, as you can remove it when you get tired of the look and noise--yes, laminate floors are noisy and moisture sensitive, as all use a man-made moisture absorbing core. If you glue down a thin wear layer engineered hardwood you will have a real problems removing it.
To summarize--least expensive is laminate, Pergo-type; next, thin wear layer, short pieces engineered hardwood; next, solid lumber; best and most expensive, thick wear layer long plank engineered hardwood. The floor shown on our homepage-3/16+ thick wear layer (thickest in the industry), 5" wide, 58" to 96" long (longest in the industry) is $7.90 sqft with european oil finish. Deduct $1 if you site finish. Shop ALL the stores,web,anywhere,if you can match this at a lower price we'll beat that price by 10%! The best VALUE in a fine lifetime floor.
Like anything else you get what you pay for. We offer both solid, and thick wear layer engineered, and will advise which is the best value for your installation.
.
