Flooring is our most popular product category, and the most common question we hear is: should I go with solid reclaimed planks or engineered flooring with a reclaimed wood wear layer? The answer depends on several factors.
Solid reclaimed flooring is a thick plank (typically 3/4 inch) milled from a single piece of reclaimed wood. Its advantages include the ability to be sanded and refinished multiple times over its lifetime, a solid, substantial feel underfoot, and the most authentic appearance since every surface is genuine reclaimed wood.
The disadvantages of solid reclaimed flooring include susceptibility to moisture-related movement (expansion and contraction), a requirement for nail-down installation over a wood subfloor, and higher material cost. Solid wood also typically needs to acclimate on site for at least a week before installation.
Engineered flooring with a reclaimed wear layer consists of a thin slice of reclaimed wood (usually 2-4mm) bonded to a plywood or HDF core. Its advantages include excellent dimensional stability (the cross-ply core resists expansion and contraction), suitability for installation over concrete or with radiant heat, and lower cost.
The trade-off is that engineered flooring can only be refinished once or twice due to the thin wear layer, and the edges may show the plywood core if boards shift. It also requires a manufacturer, while solid planks can be milled by any shop with a planer.
Our recommendation: choose solid reclaimed for wood-framed homes with crawl spaces or basements, where nail-down installation is possible and humidity is controlled. Choose engineered for concrete slabs, radiant heat systems, or high-moisture-risk areas.
We offer both options at our facility. Our milling team can produce solid flooring from any reclaimed species we stock, and we partner with a local manufacturer for our engineered products with reclaimed wear layers.