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Engineered wood has a top layer of real hardwood, usually 2 to 6 mm thick, bonded to a cross-laid plywood or HDF core. The cross layers stop the plank from moving as much as solid wood, which is why it can be laid floating with a click system. It can also be glued to screed or nailed to timber.
What makes engineered wood different
It is still wood. It moves with the seasons, so humidity control matters: aim for 40–60% relative humidity in the room all year. Planks are often long (1.8–2.2 m), which makes the order of cuts and reusing offcuts more important for waste.
A thick wear layer can be sanded and refinished several times; a 2 mm layer maybe once.
Key numbers
| Rule | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Acclimatise | 48–72 hours, longer in winter |
| Expansion gap | 10–15 mm |
| Shortest piece | 30–50 cm for long planks |
| End joint stagger | At least 40–50 cm, or as the maker states |
| Room humidity | 40–60% RH |
Installation in short
- Check the moisture of the subfloor. New screed must be fully dry (test it).
- Acclimatise the boxes in the room with the heating at normal level.
- Lay vapour barrier and an underlay approved for wood.
- Open several boxes at once and mix boards for an even spread of colour and grain.
- Start in a corner with spacers; the planner gives you the exact width of the first and last rows.
- Click each board in and close the end joint with a tapping block. Do not hit the wood directly.
- Leave the gap at every wall and threshold and cover it with skirting or a profile.
Floating, glued or nailed?
Floating is fastest and works for most homes. Gluing to screed feels more solid and is often required with underfloor heating for best heat transfer. Nailing is for timber subfloors and boards with a tongue-and-groove profile; see solid hardwood for that method.