Engineered wood floors are relatively cheaper than solid wood floors, and are less prone to damage, like dings, scratches, and abrasions. In this DecorDezine article, we give you some of the top manufacturers of this type of wood flooring.
Did You Know?
Products made from engineered wood, also known as man-made wood and composite wood, can be used as joists and beams that replace the use of steel in buildings.
Engineered wood is nothing but wood that has been engineered, or made, to exact specifications. Though most people seem to think that engineered wood is inferior to solid wood flooring, this is not true. If installed properly, very few can make out the difference between engineered wood flooring and solid wood flooring.
In fact, in some cases, like, for example, in basements, it is better to use engineered wood instead of solid wood. This is because engineered wood is more resistant to moisture, and is perfect for basements, that are usually damp, and have higher humidity levels. Invented in the 1960s, engineered wood, instead using a solid plank of wood, uses several layers (up to 12) of ply, that are compressed and glued together to form a single plank. This is then topped off with different finishes, giving it the impression and look of solid wood. Thanks to the multiple layers, engineered wood proves to be stronger, more durable, and more resistant to moisture and damage. These planks then can be glued, stapled, nailed, or just placed on the current floor or sub-floor, with gravity doing the job of keeping it in place.
If you have decided to install engineered wood flooring in your house or office, then the following are among the best manufacturers of this type of flooring. Each of them follow a unique process to make some of the best flooring options available. You can visit their websites to see the options they have available, and then contact them to get your flooring needs fulfilled.
Shaw Floors
A Fortune 500 company, Shaw Floors has been in business since 1946. Starting off as small rug company, today they are part of the Berkshire Hathaway group, and one of the biggest carpet and flooring companies in the world. With values such as honesty, integrity and passion, and a vision to create a better future for their customers, they are among the top flooring manufacturers you can opt for.
With over 55 exotic engineered wood finishes, you have a wide range to choose from. Prices for engineered wood at Shaw Floors start from as low as USD 8 and go up to a relatively affordable USD 14. The Shaw Floors website not only provides an installation PDF to install the floors yourself, but also features a ‘My Shaw Floors’ option, where you can upload photographs of your room and see how the finish looks in your room. These can also be saved and shared, enabling you to get an opinion from others before spending even a single dollar.
Depending on the product, Shaw also provides comprehensive warranties. Some examples of engineered wood finishes from Shaw Floors include Cypress Mountain, Castlewood Oak, Brushed Suede, and Castlewood Hickory.
| Name Shaw Floors Established Website Contact |
Mohawk Flooring
Mohawk Industries has been around for more than a century, providing customers with top-quality flooring options, in addition to other services. The company uses state-of-the-art equipment, and is well known for its superior quality products at affordable prices.
With more than 200 finishes of engineered hardwood floor options to choose from, Mohawk ensures that you can get the perfect finish you want. While pricing depends on a lot of factors, including where you live, the company has a lot of offers to make it affordable to consumers. Engineered wood floors from Mohawk use special ‘ArmorMax Finish with Scotchgard Advanced Repel’ technology, that ensures prevention of stains and abrasions. So sure is the company of their technology, that most engineered wood floors come with a 50-year warranty. Mohawk engineered wood flooring reviews disclose happy customers, which suggests that the company is doing a top-notch job of producing floors.
Engineered floors from Mohawk also feature UniClic® technology, that makes them among the easiest to install. Examples of finishes from Mohawk’s line of engineered wood floors include Oak Cocoa, Hickory Country, Cognac Maple, and Tigerwood Natural.
| Name Mohawk Flooring Established Website Contact |
Quanex Building Products
Starting off in 1927 as the Michigan Seamless Tube Company, Quanex is essentially a company that deals in all building products. The company wants to, in their own words, “be the preferred supplier in every market we serve”, which considering their range of products, is commendable. They are also an environmentally friendly company, that in addition to manufacturing energy efficient products, also makes sure that their manufacturing processes are eco-friendly as well.
With almost 50 finishes to choose from, Quanex too is a major provider of engineered wood flooring. The flooring is provided in finished and unfinished options. Quanex follows the ‘sawn’ method for its top layer, which ensures that their products can be refinished at least a couple of times, making them last longer. Their top layer also features multiple coats of aluminum oxide, making it extremely resistant to abrasions and dings.
Thanks to all this, Quanex can afford to offer a 35-year warranty for residential floors, and a 5-year warranty for commercial floors. Examples of finishes that Quanex offers include American Cherry, Red Oak, Hard Maple, and Black Walnut.
| Name Quanex Building Products Established Website Contact |
Mannington Flooring
Mannington has been in the flooring business since 1915, and is a family-owned business since the last 4 generations. They aim to be “the best people to do business with in the flooring industry”, and looking at the success they have achieved in almost a century of business, this seems to be true. With a plethora of awards won for their various products, we wouldn’t hesitate at all to recommend this company for your flooring needs.
When it comes to engineered wood flooring, Mannington claims that their floors are stronger than others, thanks to the several layers of ‘plies’ they use. With over 125 varieties of engineered wood finishes, you won’t be stuck for choice when it comes to Mannington. The company also features a ‘Show this Floor in Virtual Decorator’ option, where you can choose a flooring sample, and apply it to a picture of a room (static pre-uploaded image) to see how it looks.
Depending on the type of finish you opt for, Mannington offers different warranties. They provide a PDF with all the different types of warranties offered, along with care instructions, and claim information. Examples of Mannington’s engineered flooring finishes include American Maple, Madison Oak, Montana Oak, and Atlantis Prestige Brazilian Cherry.
| Name Mannington Flooring Established Website Contact |
Mullican Flooring
Mullican is a relatively new player in the flooring business, being founded in 1985. Since then, the company has been using state-of-the-art equipment and technology to ensure that its products remain among the highest-quality in the world. Mullican produces almost all of its flooring in the United States itself, thus making sure that it can keep an eye on the quality during each step of the process.
Mullican Flooring has some of the most exotic finishes of engineered flooring, with almost 100 options to choose from. A few types of engineered floors from Mullican feature LOC-TO-FIT technology, which makes installation a breeze. Engineered wood from Mullican comes in 3″ to 7″ widths, and is crafted using 7-ply wood.
Like most reputed flooring companies, Mullican too provides a PDF for warranty information, and depending on the product chosen, warranties can last from 0 years for unfinished products to lifetime for a few pre-finished products. Some examples of finishes from Mullican’s stables include Maple Cappuccino, Oak Glacier, Oak Suede, and Brazilian Cherry Natural.
| Name Mullican Flooring Established Website Contact |
If you are planning to install engineered wood flooring, then you should make sure that the area you live in does not have high humidity or moisture levels. Moisture and humidity can make wood expand and contract, thus affecting your floor.
Engineered wood has a lot of benefits, and can be chosen over solid wood flooring without affecting the look of the room. In fact, experts say that when selling your home, engineered wood flooring commands a price on par with solid wood flooring. Make sure you buy reputed brands; the above manufacturers should stand you in good stead when it comes to warranty claims if anything goes wrong.
