<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">When deciding on flooring, some new homeowners will probably consider engineered hardwood. Yes. It is made of real wood. Lucy Fuselier of Kenny Fuselier &amp; Co. Flooring and Vicki Perry of Gulf Coast Carpet and Decorating Center said that some customers are surprised to discover that certain engineered wood floors can be sanded and refinished if needed.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Real wood is solid through and through, but engineered wood has wear layers”said Lucy Fuselier of Kenny Fuselier &amp; Co. Flooring.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Vicki Perry of Gulfcoast Carpet said that these layers are crisscrossed to allow for added expansion and contraction that real wood can’t offer.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Engineered wood may handle heat and cool better than solid wood, which can only expand and contract in one direction and may cause cupping,” Perry said.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Customers will have plenty of fun decisions ahead of them when they choose to install engineered wood flooring.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Species offered can include oak, hickory, maple, walnut, cherry, and birch. The exotic wood varieties may come from trees that are unfamiliar. Perry said acacia has been a popular-selling item at Gulf Coast Carpet and Decorating Center.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">There are over a thousand different species of acacia trees and shrubs and The Bible mentions the wood was used to build Noah’s Ark.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">According to an online home improvement article from Houzz, “not all engineered wood floors are created equal, and the many species of wood that get made into floors have different characteristics. Understanding these characteristics will go a long way … ”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Quality, which can refer to the way the engineered wood flooring is made, including the thickness of the different layers of veneer and especially the top coat depth, determines price and product longevity. A high-quality engineered wood product can last as long or longer than a solid wood floor.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Different woods come in different stains, so customers can choose a light, medium or dark stain. Some of the woods combine light and dark striations. Board width is different and begins at two inches, but can go up to seven feet.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Some customers opt to mix sizes. Perry said that the different length strips that come in a single box make it possible to layout a pattern with the right amount of contrast and pattern.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">The look can be distressed, hand-scraped or traditional.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Engineered wood flooring may interlock and be floated or be glued.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Fuselier said that pads are used between interlocking flooring and slab.</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">“Interlocking floors are gaining in popularity because people are trying to go green and get rid of the glue,” Fuselier said. “The moisture from slabs can also affect glues over time making the interlocking floors with pad something that some customers want.”</span>

<span class="R~sep~ACopyBody">Fuselier said that engineered woods can cost from $3 to $15 a square foot. That does not include installation.</span>