Customers come into one of the Quantum Floors showrooms asking for “real” wood virtually every day.
We tell them that we do not recommend
solid hardwood floors in South Florida for the reasons we
will expand on below. Although solid hardwood floors are a beautiful and valuable addition to any
home or property, depending on where you live, some types are a better fit than others.
Due to the heat, humidity, and beaches for which Florida is famous, it’s important to consider
several factors when you shop for hardwood flooring. Don't make the mistake of installing high-quality, expensive solid hardwood floors and then experience some of the problems that Juno Beach,
FL homeowners encounter because of Florida’s tropical climate, and the damage it could possibly do
to your solid wood flooring.
No matter the quality, even the best quality hardwoods expand and contract as the humidity level
changes or the moisture content changes in the concrete slab.
When solid hardwood expands, it expands across the grain, which has the effect of making the plank
wider. If the plank expands too much, the expansion will cause the floor to change shape. This is
known as cupping. When this occurs, your floor will need repair or replacement depending on the
extent of the damage. When solid wood contracts, it will contract across the grain as well. With
contraction, the plank becomes narrower. This will cause gapping in the floor between the boards.
Engineered wood is 700% more dimensionally stable than solid wood, according to the National Wood
Flooring Association (NWFA), because it consists of multi-layer construction.
In engineered hardwood floors, each layer’s grain is laid at a 90-degree angle to the layer above
or below it, canceling out the expansion factor, and creating a more
stable product.