Engineered flooring is 100% timber. It is multi-layered in construction, with a premium hardwood timber wear surface; a middle core layer, which absorbs stress and strain and ensures the floor remains stable; and a backing stability board, which helps to balance the plank. These layers reduce the amount of natural expansion and shrinking caused by fluctuations in temperature and humidity. The plank sizes and wear layers of these differ marginally between brands. Some timbers also come cut for a herringbone installation. Engineered flooring can be sanded and recoated 2-3 times, depending on the care it receives.

The boards are usually finished in 6-7 coats of high-quality UV hardened lacquer, again this number can differ between brands, most have a satin finish though some are matt. These surface coatings are applied in dust-free conditions and are baked on to provide a flawless finish. Prefinished engineered floors are resistant to wear and scratches and easy to maintain. Precision made, each joint matches perfectly.  Some engineered products are coated in oil, see our species gallery below.

Most engineered flooring is made from Oak (a good quality hardwood), Bamboo (a fast-growing renewable grass) or one of the hardwood Australian Eucalypts. Oak and Bamboo take a stain well and come in a variety of effects from whitewashed or dark stained, to antiqued, hand-scraped and beaten. There are also a number of different timber grades, some have large wood knots and cracks, giving a more “rustic” appearance, while others have fewer of the features naturally found in wood and generally only small knots, commonly known as Prime, Clear or Selected. They can come in plank, three-strip and parquet pattern. Most planks have bevelled edges, some on only the long sides and others on all four edges. Many come with matching trims and stair nosings.

There are a huge number of products available, and we strongly suggest that you come into our showroom to see the actual timber when making your choice. We can only show a small selection on our website. Some of the more unusual engineered timbers are only available intermittently. In addition to those listed, Swinard Wooden Floors can source specific engineered timbers especially for you, providing they are available from sustainably managed forests.

All timber flooring is subject to availability.

The standard size of planks is approximately 140mm x 1900mm x 14mm, unless otherwise stated. However, longer and wider boards are available in most timbers. Please discuss your plank size preferences when requesting a quote.

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A chamfer (sloping edge) is machined on each board creating a groove between the floorboards. This can be of different depth/widths – V-jointed is deeper than micro-bevelled – for example a 1.5mm chamfer will create a 3mm wide groove. Originally these types of joints were used in oiled floors with the expectation, that with regular topping up of the oil and careful maintenance, it would never need to be re-sanded.  Nowadays they are being manufactured prefinished in polyurethane. Should they need to be sanded and have new polyurethane applied (when worn or scratched) we would have to sand back to below the groove, as it is not possible to keep the grooves even during the sanding process. Not only would you lose the ‘look” of the V-joint but a substantial amount of the board thickness.

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Engineered flooring can be installed floating over underlay, glued over underlay or direct-fix to an existing subfloor. Please see Methods of Installation for further details.

Engineered boards are less prone to expansion and contraction, however some manufacturers will not guarantee their product for use in areas of high moisture content, such as bathrooms and laundries. It is important to discuss and consider your requirements and product choice during the quotation process.

For every square metre of solid wood, four square metres of engineered flooring can be produced. If you are choosing a prefinished product, the final floor is likely to be extremely close to your initial choice. Prefinished engineered flooring is ready to walk on immediately after installation, though it does need to be protected from other tradespeople until the building process has been completed