Engineered wood is how most slab homes in the area get a real wood floor. Its stable core copes with the damp air better than solid boards do.
Engineered hardwood has a real wood top layer bonded to a core of plywood or a similar material. That core moves less than solid wood when the air gets damp or dry, which matters in a city where humidity stays high most of the year. It looks and feels like a wood floor, because the surface is wood, and it comes in oak, hickory, maple and wide-plank styles that suit both new and older homes.
It is often the easiest way to get a wood floor onto a concrete slab in Lakeview, New Orleans East, Metairie or Kenner. Depending on the product, it can be glued to the slab or floated over a pad with a moisture barrier, after the slab passes a moisture test. On raised houses it can also be nailed or stapled to a sound wood subfloor, the same way solid boards are installed.
A thick wear layer can be sanded and refinished later, while a thin one may only take a screen and recoat. Engineered wood is still wood, though. Standing water from a flood or a long leak will ruin it, so it is not a floor to pick for rooms that take water. We go over thickness, core type and install method before quoting.
Engineered hardwood in New Orleans: common questions
Is engineered wood better than solid wood in New Orleans?
On a slab, usually yes, because it handles humidity changes better and can be glued or floated. On a raised house with a dry crawl space, either works.
Can engineered hardwood survive a flood?
No. Its core can swell and delaminate in standing water. If flooding is a real risk, porcelain tile is a safer choice.
Can engineered floors be refinished?
If the wear layer is thick enough, yes. A thin wear layer may only take a light screen and recoat.
How it works
- Free in-home estimate: Call, text or book online. We measure the rooms and check the subfloor.
- Written quote: Material, prep and price in writing.
- Prep & delivery: We plan the order of rooms, deliver material and let wood acclimate.
- Install & walk-through: Our crew installs or refinishes, cleans up and walks it with you.