Engineered hardwood is a genuine hardwood flooring product that can be installed in certain applications where solid hardwood is not suitable. Typically, these are installations that take place below grade (in a basement), over in-floor heating, or when the hardwood floor is being floated over a concrete subfloor.

Engineered hardwood is made up of a core structure and a veneer of genuine hardwood (also called a wear layer). The core of an engineered hardwood is often constructed of plywood, with several layers of ply in a criss-cross structure. It may also be constructed of high-density fibre board. The genuine hardwood wear layer is the top layer of engineered hardwood and is generally between two and five millimetres thick. It is as versatile as a solid hardwood product in terms of its species, finish, and overall appearance. In fact, engineered hardwood products are often available in wider and longer boards than their solid hardwood counterparts.

It is the core of an engineered hardwood floor that renders it more stable than solid hardwood and makes it suitable for the applications listed above. The ply or fibre board construction of this core helps to stabilize any expansion or contraction of the floor due to changes in humidity and temperature. This reduces the floor’s susceptibility to issues such as gaping or buckling.

The quality of an engineered hardwood floor can be gauged similarly to that of a solid hardwood floor. Additionally, the engineered hardwood should have a well-constructed core and a substantial wear-layer.