Engineered vs. Solid Hardwood: The Best Choice for Pittsburgh’s Climate

Hardwood floors are synonymous with timeless beauty and lasting value, a feature highly sought after in homes across Allison Park and the greater Pittsburgh area. However, when choosing between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood, the decision is far more critical than just appearance it’s about structural resilience, especially given the fluctuating temperatures and seasonal humidity shifts common in Western Pennsylvania.

At A&S Carpet Collection, we guide our customers to select the flooring that will thrive in their unique environment. For Pittsburgh’s distinct seasons, the core stability offered by engineered hardwood often makes it the smartest investment.

Structural Differences: The Foundation of Stability

The key difference between the two types of hardwood lies in their internal structure, which determines how they react to moisture and temperature.

Solid Wood: Beautiful but Vulnerable

• Structure: Solid hardwood is made from a single, contiguous piece of timber, typically $3/4$ inch thick.
• Performance in Humidity: Because the wood grain runs in only one direction, solid wood is highly susceptible to dimensional change. When humidity rises (as it does in a damp Pittsburgh summer), the wood absorbs moisture and expands. When heating is on in the winter, the wood releases moisture and shrinks. This cycle causes gapping between planks and can lead to cupping or crowning over time. For homes with basements or concrete slabs, solid wood is generally not recommended.

Engineered Hardwood: Built for Resilience

Engineered hardwood was specifically designed to overcome the structural instability of solid wood.

The Power of Cross-Ply Construction

• Structure: Engineered hardwood consists of two main layers: a thin top layer of genuine, finished hardwood veneer (the surface you see) and a thick core made of multiple layers of plywood or HDF (High-Density Fiberboard).
• Dimensional Stability: The magic is in the core. Each layer of the core is stacked with the wood grain running perpendicular to the layer above and below it (cross-ply construction). This overlapping, opposing grain structure locks the planks in place, making them incredibly resistant to the expansion and contraction caused by moisture.
• Pittsburgh’s Ideal Match: For Allison Park homes, where basements are common and humidity swings are severe between summer and winter, engineered hardwood maintains its size and shape much better than solid wood, virtually eliminating the gapping and warping issues. This stability allows engineered wood to be installed safely on concrete subfloors and below grade (in basements), where solid wood cannot go.

Longevity and Refinishing

While solid wood can be refinished multiple times due to its thickness, modern engineered hardwood flooring offers sufficient refinishing lifespan for most homeowners.

• Engineered Refinishing: The top veneer layer of quality engineered wood is thick enough to be sanded and refinished at least one or two times, providing decades of beautiful life.
• Ease of Installation: Engineered hardwood can often be floated or glued down, making installation over different types of subfloors (plywood, concrete, radiant heat systems) far simpler and more versatile than the nail-down requirement of solid wood.

By understanding the cross-ply structure of engineered hardwood, you can choose a floor that offers the classic beauty you desire while providing the stability required to endure Western Pennsylvania’s four seasons without worry.

Ready to choose the right hardwood for your home? Contact us or visit our showroom location in Allison Park, PA. At A&S Carpet Company, our goal is to provide our customers with genuine old fashioned family service backed with honesty and integrity. We create inspiration to express yourself with a distinguished collection of designer choices and flooring essentials to enhance any home décor, and competitive prices suitable to match any lifestyle, even if your style includes an eye to the bottom line. See expert installation displays, designed to help you visualize how your future renovations will look in your home. Our design experts will work with you to select the perfect options for you and your family. At A & S Carpet Collection, we take pride in the quality of our workmanship and customer service.