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Flooring installers are often asked if engineered flooring can be refinished. This cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, the reality is it’s complicated. Many engineered hardwood floors can be finished but not all of them. 

Engineered hardwood flooring is a specific section of the flooring market that is created from a natural wood veneer with an engineered structure for the rest of the flooring. Engineered flooring is made of two primary layers but many homeowners never see anything beyond the veneer layer. The veneer is the top layer and is made up of naturally wood and is often a very thin layer. The second layer is a plywood or similar material that may be made up of several plys or layers. The layers go in opposite directions which creates a stronger underlayment. Engineered hardwood is often great as resisting cupping and warping. 

Many engineered hardwood floors can be refinished but not all of them. Many engineered hardwood floors have a top layer that is too thin to refinish. The wear layer of engineered flooring is between 3mm and 7mm. When refinishing hardwood 1mm is often removed. Each refinish makes the floor thinner and eliminates the chance for additional refinishes. Depending on how thick the floor is there are different amounts of refinishes that can be performed. The general rule is that you can get one less refinish than the amount of millimeters the wear layer is, for example, a 5mm wear layer can be finished 4 times. 

When working with a contractor for new engineered floors they will likely advise you to choose a material with at least 2 mm of top layer veneer. A material with at least a few refinishes is ideal and gives your floor a longer life span. 

When sanding an engineered floor the finish and special texture are removed which can change the overall look of the floor. Wire brushing, hand scraping and unique finishes do not penetrate below the surface and buffing or sanding the floors will remove these features. 

When sanding a floor the top layer of the floor is removed to remove imperfections like scratches and dents. This process allows for the flooring finish to be replaced with a beautiful even coat. Stain can be applied during a refinishing, allowing the owner to change the color of the floor. 

The bevel is another aspect to consider when refinishing flooring. Bevels are also called micro bevels are a feature of prefinished flooring, allowing for some imperfections between boards. Since the flooring is not being sanded on site the bevel allows for uneven heights to be concealed. The depth of the bevel can impact the refinishing process and if you are looking to get rid of this bevel you may need to sand more off the surface of the floor. The preference of bevel vs no bevel is strictly about aesthetics and does not impact the structure or use of the floor. 

Engineered is a popular flooring type for a variety of reasons. Many people find engineering more appealing because of the accessibility, realistic look and the eco-friendliness of many of the lines. Engineered flooring is not made of a solid plank and this allows for some faster growing species to be utilized for the underlayer of the flooring. The style of engineered flooring is another big factor in its popularity. Many customers find that they look the look and feel of engineered flooring over solid wood because of the finish options and texturing options. Engineered flooring is unique and has more variation in color and grain when compared to LVP or laminate. The veneer is natural wood so it gives the look of real wood graining without any repeating textures or patterns.

Engineered flooring is also great at moisture resistance and can withstand more temperature fluctuations than solid wood flooring. The core in the flooring does impact the moisture resistances and ability to withstand humidity variations. The moisture resistance also allows for installation in nearly any room. Customers utilized engineered flooring in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements. Many homeowners lean towards engineered flooring because it’s DIY friendly. Most engineered products can be installed easily without prior experience because of the interlocking system. 

Engineered flooring is a great option for many people and there are a lot of great benefits of engineered hardwood flooring. Depending on your lifestyle and the material you may find that this flooring type can last many decades. The maintenance and surface layer depth both impact the lifespace of your flooring. If you are curious if your engineered flooring can be refinished we would love to take a look. Our team can help verify if your flooring has the appropriate wearlayer for refinishing. Call Colorado Hardwoods today to set up your free in-home consultation.

Hardwood flooring is a large investment and selecting the right contractor can be an intimidating process. If you are ready to have hardwood flooring installed in your home there are a lot of things you will want to look for in your hardwood contractor to ensure you get a quality finished product. Like any service provider you will want to meet with a few estimators to see what different options they have, the knowledge they share and any other aspects you may need to consider. With any service you get what you pay for and this rings true for hardwood flooring as well. Choosing the lowest cost estimate may mean you are sacrificing quality and craftsmanship. 

When hiring a contractor there are some key points to consider and discuss with the estimator to ensure they are the right fit for your project. We have outlined some key points below to help make the process easier. 

1. Discuss any licensing and liability insurance with your contractor. Any contractor you are hiring should have the necessary licensing for the state and all necessary insurance. While none of us are hoping a project will go wrong, insurance makes it much less worrisome if things happen to go wrong. A properly insured contractor protects you from any injury that may happen in your home and protects you from damage that may be caused if an accident occurs. 
2. All contractors should also have workers compensation coverage for employees. When working with a contractor that does not have employees they may not have this type of coverage. Employers are required to have workers compensation insurance to protect injured workers and to cover their medical expenses and missed time if an injury does take place. This coverage helps to protect homeowners from lawsuits as well. 
3. Ask your hardwood contractor for certifications like an NWFA certification. The National Wood Floor Association is an organization that certifies contractors for installation and other aspects of wood flooring finishing and can give you extra confidence in a flooring contractor. Not all contractors are NWFA certified but this is a great option for narrowing down contractors. The NWFA requires continuing education to keep up on these certifications so you know your contractor is up to date on the latest in the flooring industry. 
4. Quality contractors measure and record moisture levels in the wood and subfloor. These measurements are used to ensure wood has acclimated properly to your home for a quality installation. The NWFA has measurement guidelines for relative humidity, floor moisture content and subfloor moisture content. These measurements are vital before installation to ensure the wood wont shift, cup or gap excessively. If you are installing a prefinished or engineered floor these measurements can help with warranty claims down the line. Acclimation of wood flooring is a non-negotiable part of your project and should be something your contractor does. Wood flooring needs to be in your home at least a week before installation and retested for moisture content before installation to ensure its ready to be installed. 
5. Warranties are often a sign of a quality contractor. If your contractor offers a warranty on their work it often means they are willing to back up their work if something goes wrong. Many contactors offer different warranties for installation versus refinishing and the estimator should be able to discuss these differences with you. When investing as much money as you will in a hardwood flooring installation a warranty can help make the process feel less scary. 
6. References are one of the best ways to find a quality contractor. The input you receive from other customers is very informative and can really help you to find the right contractor for your project. Many contractors will give you a list of references that you can call to hear how their project went. Online reviews are also a good option, we recommend making sure you read the response and don’t just trust the star rating. Many customers are unhappy about small issues and give one star ratings which unfairly affect the contractor. Read the response to the review and see if the contractor offered a reasonable response and remedy to the issue. Ask friends and family for recommendations as well. The BBB, Angie’s list and Yelp are also great options for finding feedback about your contractor. 
7. When choosing a contractor you will want to talk to them about different aspects of their jobs like dust control, clean up, timeline and other details. Dust control is a huge factor when choosing a contractor because dust is such a big part of the finish process. Installing new flooring is messy and the methods of protecting your home are important for your overall experience. Baseboards are also an important part of the flooring installation and you will want to talk to your contractor about how they handle the baseboards. Finally the length of the job, if something to discuss. Some contractors may say they can get the job done faster than others and you may want to ask how or why. Depending on the company you use the timeline may fluctuate because a different crew comes in for finishing or because of the amount of manpower on the job site. 
8. Payment structure is another factor to consider. Most contractors do not ask for payment in full before your project begins and this can be a red flag. If your contractor asks for money in full before they start you may end up getting scammed. Most reputable contractors ask for a downpayment to hold your project date and purchase your materials and the remainder at the end of the project. 

Hardwood flooring is a huge investment in your home and something to be excited about. Looking for a contractor doesn’t have to be a scary process when you know what to ask and what red flags to look for. Choosing the right contractor for your project can yield better quality results at a fair price. Colorado Hardwood is here to help with any hardwood flooring project you have. If you are ready to talk to a fair and trusted contractor call us today. 

Hardwood flooring is a wildly popular flooring type because it is both beautiful and durable. Homeowners love the elevated feeling of hardwood and how it makes your room look elegant and put together with minimal effort. While hardwood flooring is a great option it can be a challenging flooring type for basements. Basements come with a variety of different challenges but the concrete slab is the biggest concern for hardwood flooring. Water damage is much more common in the basement and hardwood and water are not friends. If you choose to install hardwood flooring below grade there are some extra steps and maintenance needs you will need to consider. Vapor barriers on the concrete and below the concrete are very important if you are considering concrete below grade. Additionally many people choose to add a sump pump to help remove any water. 

Basement flooring needs proper preparation to work with different floor types. The concrete slab needs to be properly installed and in good condition before flooring can be added. When the slab was poured a layer of porous fill should be added to the aggregate bed to help mitigate groundwater and allow for drainage. Ground water should run away from the home with proper grading or with the help of a sump pump basin. Many homeowners choose to add radiant heating before installing flooring on concrete slab to help counteract the cooling effect of the concrete especially in winter. If you are considering radiant heating the flexible tubing system may need to be installed before the concrete is poured. 

Concrete slabs need time to cure before flooring can be installed. The minimum time frame is 30 days but you will want to test the humidity of the slab before adding flooring to ensure it’s dry and ready. A vapor barrier is a necessary part of this process and should be added below the subfloor. A liquid vapor barrier can be rolled onto the concrete to create an extra layer of moisture protection. This liquid vapor barrier acts as an extra barrier for any moisture seepage. Vapor barriers are important when concrete is fresh and still wet but also remains integral because moisture can seep up into the concrete over time. 

There are a variety of different vapor barriers on the market including PVC, roofing felt and polyethylene sheets. The vapor barrier should be under the layers of insulation to prevent heat from leaching through the walls. Polyethylene is a new vapor barrier product and works with lots of different flooring types including laminate, tile, linoleum carpet and wood flooring. Polyethylene can resist mold, mildew and fungus and lots of moisture intrusion.  

After preparing the basement for flooring you will have to research the right flooring for below grade. Many manufacturers do not recommend hardwood for basements because of the higher moisture content but some have specific installation instructions. Laminate flooring is often recommended for below grade because of the core and its improved stability. Engineered hardwood is also on a more stable core and can work well in basements. Solid hardwood can be installed in basements but does have more susceptibility to water damage and moisture mitigation should be a top priority. 

While you can install whatever flooring you want in your basement there are some materials that perform better than others. If you are unsure what the best option is for your basement floor, a flooring contractor is a great resource. Colorado Hardwood is here to help and can meet with you to discuss flooring options including laminate, engineered and solid wood flooring. We can also discuss installation options and methods for mitigating moisture more effectively. 

If you have hardwood flooring you may be searching for ways to ensure your floor looks its best. There are a lot of options for ensuring your floor looks great but maintenance is truly the key. Maintenance comes in a variety of different forms when it comes to hardwood flooring ranging from preventative measures to daily care and professional maintenance services. By utilizing this different variety of preventative measures you can extend your floors life expectancy and beauty. If you have installed new flooring your contractor may talk to you about the humidity in your home. Keeping your home’s temperature stable and the humidity in the acceptable range is a major step in wood floor care. 

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