Engineered vs solid wood flooring: which is better?
By Eli Gjoka · Updated
Short answer
Both are real wood on top. Solid wood is one piece of timber all the way through; engineered wood has a real wood top layer bonded to a cross-layered core, which makes it more stable. That stability is why engineered wood is the usual choice over underfloor heating, on concrete floors and in kitchens. Solid wood can be sanded more times over its life, and suits suspended timber floors and rooms without underfloor heating.
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How they're made
Solid wood boards are cut from a single piece of timber. Engineered boards have a real wood top layer, often called the wear layer, bonded to a core of cross-layered plywood or softwood. Woodpecker, a UK manufacturer, quotes wear layers from 1.5mm to 6mm, and engineered boards often come wider and longer than solid ones.
Stability: why it matters
Wood expands and shrinks as the humidity changes. In a solid board, all of that movement goes one way. In an engineered board, the cross-layered core holds the top layer steady, so the board moves less. That's the main reason engineered wood copes better with heating, concrete subfloors and changing conditions.
Every wood floor still needs an expansion gap around the edges and the right conditions in the room. Manufacturers give their own ranges for room humidity, broadly between 30% and 65%.
Underfloor heating
This is where the choice is clearest. Several UK suppliers say only engineered boards should go over underfloor heating, with the floor surface kept at or below 27°C. Not every maker agrees: Junckers approves some of its solid hardwood floors over underfloor heating, also with a 27°C surface limit. If you want solid wood over heating, choose a product its manufacturer approves for it and follow their instructions exactly.
Sanding and refinishing
Solid wood can be sanded many times, which is why old solid floors can be brought back to life. With engineered wood, it depends on the wear layer. Woodpecker's guide is:
- 1.5mm: can't be refinished
- 3mm: usually once
- 4mm: up to twice
- 6mm: as many times as a solid floor
If you want to be able to sand the floor in future, ask for the wear layer thickness before you buy.
Kitchens and bathrooms
In kitchens, engineered wood is generally the safer choice because it moves less. In bathrooms, industry voices advise against solid wood, and while good engineered wood can work if it's fitted and looked after properly, LVT or tiles are often more practical.
How each one is fitted
- Engineered wood: can float over an underlay, be glued down, or on some products be nailed, depending on the board and the subfloor.
- Solid wood: usually nailed to timber joists or battens, or fully glued to a suitable subfloor.
On concrete or screed, the floor must be dry first. One UK supplier's instructions ask for screeds below 75% relative humidity for floating engineered boards and below 65% for glued ones, with a damp-proof membrane where needed. Wood flooring in the UK is fitted to the code of practice BS 8201.
How to tell which one you already have
Look at the edge of a board where it's exposed, for example at a door threshold or under a removed air vent. If the wood is the same all the way through, it's solid. If you can see a thinner top layer on a different core, it's engineered.
So which should you choose?
Choose engineered wood for underfloor heating, concrete floors, kitchens and wide boards. Choose solid wood for a traditional floor on timber joists, without underfloor heating, if you want to be able to sand it many times. Either way, the subfloor and room conditions matter as much as the board, so they should be checked before you order.
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Common questions
What are the downsides of engineered wood flooring?
A thin wear layer limits how often it can be sanded, and quality varies a lot between products, so check the wear layer and the core.
Is engineered wood better for underfloor heating?
Yes, in most cases. Its cross-layered core makes it more stable, and many manufacturers only approve engineered boards over heating.
Can solid wood go over underfloor heating?
Some makers approve specific solid floors, such as certain Junckers products, but many don't. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
How many times can engineered wood be sanded?
It depends on the wear layer. A 1.5mm layer can't be refinished, while a 6mm layer can be sanded about as often as solid wood.
Can you put wood flooring in a kitchen?
Engineered wood is usually the better choice in a kitchen because it moves less than solid wood.