Are you an admirer of engineered wood flooring but not confident enough to use them as basement flooring? If so, then you are at the right place! This article will clear all your doubts. And after reading this article, you do not have to think twice before using hardwood flooring on the basement floors.
We all know a basement is where flooding is a common phenomenon. Moreover, the humidity is higher in the basement than in the other house areas. This is the reason people often avoid hardwood flooring in the basement. However, the stone plastic composite (SPC) core can make engineered hardwood flooring resistant to water.
So, the SPC core will fulfill your dream of having an engineered hardwood floor in your basement. Other than water resistance, there are many other benefits that will make you use hardwood floors in your basement.
Now, let's get to know about the benefits of engineered hardwood flooring.
Before you know the benefits of engineered hardwood flooring, you must know what engineered hardwood is. Engineered hardwood is an alternative to solid hardwood in terms of look. But it has different features than solid hardwood.
Its moisture resistance is the first feature distinguishing an engineered hardwood from a solid one. It is a combination of plywood core and high-density fiberboard. On top of that, engineered hardwood has a layer of hardwood glued as a cover.
This unique manufacturing combination of an engineered hardwood makes it water-resistant. As a result, it is free from cupping, warping, or splitting. That means you can consider engineered hardwood as the best flooring option for the basement.
Hardwood flooring is one of the best options if you want your house floor to add value and look classy simultaneously. But when you are told to choose engineered hardwood flooring for your basement, you might not think of it as the best choice. Because for the basement, you will want something resistant to humidity, unlike hardwood floors.
However, the scenario will change when the SPC core is used on the wood floors. Hardwood-engineered floors with SPC are what you need for your basement. That means you can reluctantly choose wood flooring for your basement floor and get the best result.
Here is a list of the benefits or positive grounds that will tell you why you need to own engineered hardwood flooring in the basement.
With the help of an SPC core, the hardwood floors gain stability. It is also known as vinyl flooring, as SPC is a mixture of limestone and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This combination of limestone and PVC makes the SPC a water-resistant material.
So, hardwood floors have SPC, which means they are water resistant and have excellent stability. You do have to worry about the damage to the hardwood floors from frequent basement flooding. That means the water and humidity will not harm the wood floors in your basement.
Engineered hardwood flooring is one of the best flooring options if you think of durability. It can last for a long time if installed in the right way and dealt with with proper care.
Now, you can measure the durability of the wood flooring by seeing the density of the plank. Wood with thin plank usually lasts less, like 30-40 years. So, if you choose a thicker plank for your hardwood flooring, it will last more than 80 years.
The basement floors are usually an underground area of a house. That means less heat is generated at the ground level, and the floor gets extremely cold in winter. However, hardwood-engineered floors do not have to worry about this problem.
Your basement will naturally remain warm, and you do not have to waste extra energy to heat the air forcefully. The only hassle you need to face is installing a subfloor in the hardwood floors so that it can help with the heating system of the basement flooring.
Hardwood increases the value of your house. Earlier, people were afraid of installing wood floors in the basement area. But now the situation is completely changed. Due to various beneficial features like longer lifespan, warmness, water resistance, etc. features, people prefer wood flooring instead of laminate flooring.
So, engineered wood flooring with a plywood subfloor in your basement increases the resale value of your house.
You can minimize the installation cost when it comes to a hardwood floor. Unlike concrete floors, you can take the responsibility of installing hardwood floors because installing wood floors does not require a professional's help if you have the proper tools. Moreover, the click-lock system makes it easier for you to install wood flooring.
The minimal and classy look of the hardwood can transform your basement into a functional living area of your home. Hardwood floors have the ability to prevent mold and reduce humidity. So, these features make your basement a non-smelly area and let you use the basement as a living area.
Basement areas are most prone to moisture. That is why wood flooring is not considered the best flooring option. However, engineered hardwood flooring is different from typical wood flooring because it can resist moisture from the basement flooring.
Though engineered hardwood flooring looks the same as regular wood flooring, it is much stronger. A bamboo layer on the plywood core of the engineered hardwood prevents it from twisting and warping due to excess moisture.
What can be more efficient than having an engineered hardwood floor to make your home greener? Also, if you think of saving trees, there is no better option than this. Because in the case of engineered hardwood, fewer planks of trees are required than that solid hardwood.
Don't you think all these grounds make hardwood floors suitable for basement flooring? All these positive grounds will drive you away from the misconception that hardwood flooring is not basement worthy.
Before you go for installing engineered hardwood in your basement, there is some basic knowledge that you need to keep in mind. The first thing you need to understand is that the installation methods of hardwood in basement flooring are different.
You need to follow the floating method, which is gluing the hardwood on concrete floors or slabs of the basement. Also, before installing engineered hardwood, it is best to check whether the concrete floors are not cracked and are in good condition.
Secondly, manage a furnace and an air conditioner while installing the hardwood in the basement. A furnace will prevent moisture damage by drying the slab of cement. On the other hand, the air conditioner will eliminate the amount of moisture in the air.
Therefore, these simple installation techniques of engineered hardwood in the basement will make your work easier.
Basement flooring options are not limited to engineered hardwood flooring only. There are many other options also.
One of the most common flooring options for the basement is laminate flooring. This flooring system is ideal when directly installed over the concrete slab. Because it cannot deal with the high level of moisture that comes from below, you will not get the vibe of "real wood" that you might get from the engineered hardwood.
Other than laminate, you can also choose among the epoxy, ceramic tile, hardwood, rubber, and vinyl flooring options for your basement. If you are looking for something that has the highest water resistance, vinyl flooring would be the best option to choose.
However, if you have a tight budget and looking for a cheaper option for basement flooring, then go for ceramic tile flooring.
Yes, you can easily install engineered hardwood on concrete with the help of glue. All you have to do is follow the glue-down installation technique. It is best to use wood acrylic adhesive glue for installing engineered wood.
It is necessary to have an even subfloor for the durability of engineered wood floors. So, if you want an even and smooth subfloor, you must underlay the engineered hardwoods. The underlayment increases the stability cutting out minor flaws.
It is important that you choose the right flooring option for your basement. Or else, one wrong decision of yours can ruin the environment of the basement. So, what is the ideal choice for basement flooring? It is none other than the engineered wood floor, which is considered the best basement flooring option.
Now that you know what benefits an engineered hardwood floor has, you can easily choose this option. The multiple layers of engineered hardwood that protect it from water and humidity will never fail to amaze you.
If you are looking for the top hardwood floor installation company in Chicago, Improvix Flooring is the best choice. Call us at (773) 345-9719 for the best refinishing and installation service for hardwood floors.