Clients often ask me “When buying hardwood flooring, should I buy 3-layer or multi-layer engineered wood flooring?” The answer comes down to 3 things.

1. The cost difference

The cost of hardwood floors has many variables. So, for example, let’s say both planks of wood are oak, the same length and width, and have the same finish. Generally speaking, the wider the board with a longer length, the more expensive it is because more wood is wasted in the manufacturing process.

Then it all comes down to the thickness of the boards. The ones made for economy tend to be 15mm thick with a 3mm thick oak top layer. The first layer is veneer, the second layer is a blockboard that makes up the bulk of the product, the third layer is a thin layer of wood on the base. A 3-ply board can be up to 20mm thick, with veneer taking up 6mm of the board. Buying a thicker board increases the rigidity of the flooring and prevents it from twisting and warping before installation.

A 3-ply board should be about 20% cheaper than its multi-layer equivalent. If you are installing this type of flooring, in a single room, with a level and dry surface, then you can be sure to use an inexpensive board.

2. Ease of assembly and stability of adjustment.

Multi-engineered wood boards are normally 20mm thick. The top oak veneer is 6 mm. The other 14mm is made up of 1mm layers of wood, with the wood grain laid at a 90 degree angle to the next layer. This makes the boards more stable when affected by a change in temperature or humidity levels. As the center of the 3 layers is a block board, the tongue is usually rough and uneven, while the multiply is sanded and even throughout the length of the board, making it quick and easy to fit onto the next board.

3.Underfloor heating

Real wood floors are a natural product and can therefore be affected by a change in temperature. In winter, due to the drier conditions created by central heating, the wood shrinks. In summer, windows are opened to allow good airflow through a building, increasing humidity, and a real hardwood floor begins to expand again.

This expansion and contraction becomes greater when using underfloor heating, since the wooden floor has to deal with a higher temperature and greater moisture loss. This is why I would recommend a multi-engineered board when choosing real wood flooring to go over underfloor heating due to its stability and ease of installation.

So to summarize

If you are installing in a single room, covering an existing flat hardwood floor, I recommend a 3-ply engineered hardwood floor.

If you are installing over a concrete floor, underfloor heating, or rooms with a lot of temperature variation throughout the year, for its stability and ease of installation, I would recommend multi-engineered wood flooring.