Hardwood flooring is a gorgeous and strong flooring option that brings a classic, elegant look to your home. But knowing how to combat water on your floors is an important piece to keeping that clean, fresh look in your home.
All wood flooring is constructed of either solid wood (one piece in thickness) or engineered hardwood (several layers of wood). And because wood is a living substance, it reacts with water in much the same way your kitchen sponge does:
The only difference between engineered wood flooring and solid wood flooring is that because engineered flooring is bonded in alternating layers with the grain in each layer in the opposite direction, it is somewhat more stable when compared to solid wood.
This factor can partially limit how much the floor swells/shrinks when exposed to water. However, engineered wood flooring still changes in size as it gains/loses moisture!
Depending on the type of wood, the size will shrink or swell at a different rate. This is due to a simple mathematic formula, in that for each gain of 1% moisture content, a certain species of wood will gain X% in width.
So, the bottom line is, that if you can remove water quickly and properly dry your engineered hardwood floors, you have an excellent chance of maintaining them for years on end.
Visit a Floors Plus showroom to learn about our durable hardwood options now!
