What is Engineered Hardwood Flooring? 
 
Engineered wood floors are the result of 2 to 5 thin sheets or “plies” of wood being laminated together (in opposite directions) to form a single plank. This “cross-ply” construction creates a wood floor that is dimensionally stable and not more affected by moisture and temperature variations than traditional 3/4" solid wood floor.
 
When moisture is present, solid wood planks expand across their width, rather than down their length. The advantage of cross-ply construction is that the sheets counteract each other, thus prohibiting the plank from expanding or shrinking.
Another advantage is versatility.
 
Engineered wood floors can be installed practically anywhere, including over concrete slabs and in your basement. They can be nailed down, stapled down, glued down — even floated over existing floors and subfloors.
 
Engineered hardwood floors range from ¼” to 9/16” thick and from 2 ¼” to 7” in width. To create a custom look, widths can mixed, such as 3”, 5” and 7” planks installed side-by-side. Lengths are random and range from 12" to 60" in length.
Because engineered wood floors are comprised of several layers of wood, the finish of the top layer can be a completely different wood species than the lower layers. Both domestic and exotic hardwood species are available, including Oak, Maple, Hickory and Cherry.
 
 
 What is Bamboo Hardwood? 
  
The fact is that bamboo is a rapidly growing hollow grass (not wood) that can be harvested every 5-7 years, unlike tree wood, which can typically be harvested only every 15-100 years.  When bamboo shoots are cut, their roots remain intact and new sprouts grow in their place.
As a result, bamboo flooring is an environmentally friendly product that provides an excellent alternative to tree wood.  It will provide the same natural beauty and feel in your home as hardwood.
 
Don’t worry; bamboo flooring is panda friendly too.  The bamboo used for flooring (commonly called “moso” in Chinese) has no leaf growth on the first 16 feet of the stem therefore it is not a source of food for the panda.  The particular species of bamboo used for flooring is grown in select groves of Southern China.  It’s 27% harder than Northern Red Oak, 13% harder than hard maple and can be nailed-down or floated.  Not only is bamboo durable, it is frequently favored for its resistance to fire, insects and moisture.
 
Bamboo comes in different patterns and plank sizes to compliment a variety of decors, from casual to formal and contemporary to traditional.  If you’re considering hardwood floors, consider bamboo.  It’s a great environmental option and is offered in both solid and engineered construction.