Engineered flooring

When it comes to real hardwood flooring, there are two options: solid hardwood flooring and engineered hardwood flooring. Because the look and feel of solid versus engineered hardwood is virtually identical, the decision on which one to purchase and install is not a question of personal preference, but a question of cost, climactic factors and other practical considerations.

There are two types of engineered hardwood floors: 2- and 3-layer.

Kormos Floors 2-layer engineered floors are made with a top layer of solid sawn 3.4mm wood. The lower layer is made of Birch plywood 10mm. It is environmentally friendly due to the fact that it needs less wood and the glues that are needed are certified. Its construction offers stability and endurance to the changes of the climate (humidity, and temperature).

There are huge differences in quality in engineered wood flooring, and consumers don’t know how to compare apples to apples. The first thing is to look at the composition of the flooring: What is it made out of? Is it a low-grade, three-ply softwood plywood or a high quality plywood (such as the marine-grade Baltic birch used in our flooring)? Lower-grade plywood has a greater chance of delamination, where the layers come apart. You don’t buy a Mercedes-Benz and put the cheapest tires on it, and the same is true with engineered wood flooring.

The adhesives that we use are a formaldehyde-free composition, ultra-low VOC.

The floors are produced entirely in the the Romania with domestic adhesive on precise German-Italian made equipment.

The top wood layer is the same top quality material used in our solid wood products with proper Moisture content (6%-8%).

It is preferable to use engineered floors in areas with a higher relative humidity, such as basements, kitchens, near shores, etc. Engineered flooring will outperform solid flooring there, meaning you can use a wider-width product without seeing dimensional changes as much. The recommended RH (Relative Humidity) is 35% to 55% for our engineered floors.

Particularly in very dry climates, such as Las Vegas, with an average RH of about 30%, as well as installations over radiant heat, an engineered floor must be chosen carefully. The home must have a humidification system that can maintain the floor at the required range.

This type of floor achieves outstanding dimensional stability, and allows for installations at, above or below grade, radiant heated floors.