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These are floors that are manufactured in a similar way as plywood is, with separate layers of pine and spruce laminated together, with the grains running in opposite directions, the top 1/8 of an inch is the hardwood species of your choice. In general, they are designed to solve a few problems which may be present in your home.
1. In-floor heating causes solid hardwoods to dry excessively and warp. Engineered floors are more stable and do well in these conditions.
2. Poured concrete slabs, where fastening with nails is impossible. Engineered floors are designed to loat over the top of slabs. The pieces either lock together or are glued to each other, and are not fastened to the floor at all.
Engineered floors are generally a little thinner than solid hardwood floors, coming in 5/8 of an inch thick and 1/2 inch thick. Selection is quite large now as there are some really good manufacturers producing these products in dozens of species and grades. In general, there are not a lot of rustic grades available, as the knots do not do well when shaved to 1/8 of an inch to be applies as the top layer, so there are more mid-grades and clear grades available.
The finishes on engineered floors are extremely durable, and are warranteed up to 20 years depending on the brand.
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