What’s the Difference between Laminate and Engineered Wood?

Laminate, engineered, unfinished, prefinished…oh my!  With all of the options in hardwood available today, selecting the right wood for your home can be a little overwhelming.  The classics, unfinished and prefinished solid wood, are no longer the only type of flooring that falls under the hardwood umbrella.  Two new players, engineered and laminate floors, have entered the hardwood arena in recent years, giving more homeowners the ability to afford and enjoy the style and sophistication of hardwood floors.  If you’re considering one of these flooring options, but aren’t quite clear on the difference, here’s some information that might help.

Let’s start by giving a brief overview of traditional solid hardwood.  With this flooring, each plank is made from a single piece of wood and is generally ¾” thick.  Solid hardwood floors tend to expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity.  In summer, increased humidity causes the planks to expand and buckle.  While in the winter, when humidity decreases, the planks contract, leavings gaps.  For this reason, solid hardwood is not recommended in basements or on top of concrete floors.  While solid hardwood is the most expensive option, it also adds the most value to your home.  Homes with hardwood sell faster and at higher price points.  Not to mention, it looks beautiful in any room and can be refinished to change the look. Solid hardwood also offers the widest selection, with many different wood species available (ex. bamboo, Brazilian cherry, maple, etc.) and endless color options.

Laminate flooring is produced by attaching a photograph to a high density fiberboard through the use of heat and pressure.  The photograph is covered with a layer of polyurethane to protect the floor from scratches, fading, and wear.  Higher quality laminates use a form of urethane infused with aluminum oxide, which further increases its resistance to scratches.  Laminates are often textured through an embossing process for a more realistic look and feel.  Higher end laminates can also use high definition imaging for more authenticity.  Laminate floors offer several advantages to homeowners.  First, they are extremely versatile and can be installed on virtually any solid surface.  Because of laminate’s construction, the concern of buckling and gapping is nonexistent.  They are also significantly less expensive than solid hardwood.  Laminate floors never have to be refinished (and in fact cannot be refinished).   They are incredibly durable and have a greater scratch resistance than most hardwood and engineered floors.

Engineered flooring refers to multi-layer, cross grain constructed hardwood.  Despite its somewhat misleading name, engineered hardwood is 100% real wood.  It is made by taking multiple layers of hardwood (between 3 and 5 layers, depending on quality) and fusing them together at 90˚ angles to create a strong, durable hardwood.  The top layer of engineered floors is made from the species of wood that defines its look (ex. oak or cherry).  The inside layers are made from hard, but less expensive, species of hardwood.  The advantages of engineered wood are that it is often less expensive and more stable than traditional hardwood.  Because of the multiple layers, it is also less likely to expand and contract with changes in temperature, decreasing the likelihood of it warping or buckling.  This also allows it to be installed on concrete and below grade subfloors.  Engineered wood can be refinished up to 3 times, depending on the quality.

No matter what your flooring needs, a Pizazz design consultant can help you choose the type of hardwood that is perfect for you and your lifestyle.  For more information on laminate, engineered wood, or any other hardwood inquiry, call Pizazz Floors at 678-687-8693.

Pizazz Does Usher’s Hardwood Floors

Who doesn’t love Usher? With seven Grammy Awards and nine number-one hits, Usher is nothing short of amazing. So needless to say we were like “OMG” when asked to do his floors. Pizazz was hired to refinish the hardwood floors in his Atlanta home. We refinished his keeping room, which was about 30’x30’ (not your average size keeping room) with an ebony stain and high gloss finish. We also did a custom hardwood design in his master bedroom. The design was a 4”x4’ hand-scrapped, herringbone pattern. Both rooms turned out phenomenal, and that will be one job we will never forget!

By the way, Usher was just as great in person as he is on TV!

Eric Standing on Hardwood Floors that Pizazz Refinished in Usher's Atlanta Home

Pizazz Completes Border on Custom Georgia Bulldog Hardwood Floor

Pizazz Floors completed the second phase of a custom Georgia Bulldog hardwood floor by installing an intricate border around the University of Georgia logo.  This French knot border is made of all exotic woods, including African wenge (black boards), hard maple (white boards), and blood wood (red boards).  The last step in this design process will be refinishing the floors to bring out their brilliance and luster.

Let Pizazz take your sports team devotion to the next level and design a custom collegiate or pro team logo for your home.  It’s the  perfect addition to any office, basement, bar, or “man room” and can easily be removed and taken with you if you move.

Check back for updates on this project or call 678-687-8693 to get in on the action.

Pizazz Installs Custom Georgia Bulldog Hardwood Floor

Are you the ultimate sports fan?  Then you’re gonna love this!  Pizazz Floors just completed the first phase of a custom Georgia Bulldog hardwood floor.  This 5’x3’ Georgia logo was installed into an office with pre-existing hardwood floors and is composed of all select, exotic woods.  The white boards are hard maple, the black boards are African whengee, and the red boards are blood wood.

Phase two will be adding an intricate French knot border, also using the red blood wood and the black whengee.  And the final step will be refinishing the floors to bring out their brilliance.  Whether you’re a Gator fan a Steelers fan or anything in between, Pizazz Floors can take your devotion to your favorite team to the next level.  A custom collegiate or pro team logo is perfect for any office, basement, bar, or “man room.”

But you may be thinking, what if we move?  Not everyone may like a giant Georgia logo in the middle of their floor.  No worries, you can take it with you when you go.  Your hardwood masterpiece can easily be removed and replaced with your pre-existing hardwood boards or new boards.

Check back with us for updates as we complete the project or call 678-687-8693 if you want more information!

Disclaimer:  Pizazz Floors does not support the promotion of other sports teams like the Florida Gators or Pittsburgh Steelers, but hey, we don’t discriminate.

What to Expect with Hardwood Installation & Refinishing

Once you’ve decided to install or refinish a wood floor, you may wonder what will happen next. Knowing what to expect before, during, and after the work takes place will help ensure a high-quality job.
Before work begins, remove or cover all furnishings, draperies, paintings, and other items from the room. Flooring professionals typically are not insured against damages to these items, so removal will be your responsibility. For new installations, the wood will need to acclimate, which will vary from two days to two weeks.
If your floors are being sanded, finished or refinished, be prepared for some noise and disruption. Dust containment systems can minimize debris, but no system is 100% effective, so cover any items that you want to keep dust-free. When the finish is applied, you and your pets should stay off your floors until it has dried, about 8 – 12 hrs. The time required will vary depending on the type of finish used.
After the finish has dried, put felt pads on the bottoms of any furniture to minimize scratches and dents. Place scatter rugs at all entrances, avoiding those with rubber backs, which can discolor your floor. Avoid walking on your floors with cleats or high heels in disrepair.
Keep in mind that no two floor boards will be identical. Variations in appearance are completely normal. As your floor ages, some color change can occur. This also is normal, but can be minimized by limiting exposure to direct sunlight, and periodically moving furniture and rugs. Cracks are normal as well, and will appear and disappear between floor boards during seasons of high and low humidity. Generally, anything less than the width of a dime is considered normal, and will correct itself as seasons change. Flooring inspectors recommend inspecting the floor from a standing position in normal lighting to identify irregularities.
Finally, keep your wood floors looking their best by properly maintaining them. Use a cleaning product recommended for your floors (Bona Kemi Refresher) and use it regularly (every 3 months) to keep them looking beautiful for years to come.
Thank You For Choosing Pizazz Floors & Interior Design For All Your Flooring Needs!