What is better, engineered wood or solid wood?
Both products will look and perform the same once installed. Both can be refinished. The choice depends on what kind of subfloor you have and which grade level you want to install the wood flooring on. Solid wood needs a wood subfloor to nail to and you cannot install solid wood below grade (below ground level) due increased moisture in basements. If you want to glue down solid wood, you have to use a specialized glue. The manufacturer of the wood flooring must allow a glue down installation for their product. Engineered wood can be installed on all grade levels and on wood or concrete subfloors. For products with wider widths, engineered is a better choice for less gapping during the dryer seasons because you will get less gapping with engineered wood compared with solid wood in the dryer seasons.
