When considering solid wood flooring, it is important to know that there are alternatives that are equally beautiful, but may prove to be more economical and maintainable in the long run.

One alternative to solid wood flooring is what is known as engineered flooring. This is where the planks consist of two layers of wood. The top layer is the conventional solid strip of wood. This is then attached to what is known as the core and this is responsible for the stability of the plank.

The top part of the plank is known as the lamella and is the part that is visible when the floor has been laid. The next part of the plank is known as the core and comes in different plies:

• The first is the wood ply construction; also known as the sandwich core. This is made up from a multitude of thin layers of wood, each laying perpendicular to the layer below it. The reason that this type of ply is more stable is that the wood used is wood that has the least reaction to temperature and humidity changes. Furthermore, the fact that the layers are perpendicular to one another also adds to the stability of the plank.

• Then there is the finger core construction which uses little pieces of milled timber running perpendicular to one another to give stability. Here there are two-ply and three-ply options. With a three-ply option, the third ply is usually made of plywood and this runs parallel to the lamella.

• Finally there is Fibreboard. Fibreboard’s core is made of medium to high density fibreboard which gives the plank a lot of stability due to its resistance to contraction and expansion. However, this ply is not water-friendly and will expand so much that it will lose its shape when exposed to water. It is also not VOC free which means that it is not environmentally friendly.

In order to install the floor, the most recommended system for engineered floors are the ‘Click’ system or the Floor connection system. The ‘Click’ system uses a variety of ‘clicks’ to install the floor. This means that it is similar to the tongue-and-groove method used for solid wood flooring, but the ‘clicks’ are at angles to stabilize the installation more. No nails or glue is used with this method and it is also ideal for the DIY floor installer.

The Floor connection system involves grooves cut into the side of the plank and then another piece of wood (which fits into those grooves) is used to connect one plank to another. It is slightly more complicated than the ‘Click’ system, but can be just as effective.

Knowing what you’re buying is the first step to a beautiful floor. Knowing how to take care of it is the next. If you know which floor is going to last in your house, you will be able to make the decision to invest either in solid wood flooring, or its cousin, engineered wood flooring.