People ask this in the Anaheim showroom every week, usually while standing on a Hennessy Wood plank. The short answer is yes: the surface you see and walk on is real wood. What sits under that surface is why engineered hardwood behaves differently from a solid plank, and why it shows up so often in Orange County homes.
Express Carpet and Hardwood carries engineered hardwood from Hennessy Wood, Garrison and Galleher. This is how those planks are built, and what to ask before you buy.
Yes, the surface is real wood
Engineered hardwood is not a printed picture of wood. The top layer is a slice of real wood, with real grain. Oak looks like oak because it is oak. That is the part you feel underfoot and the part that takes the finish.
Under the top layer is a core made of layers, usually plywood or a similar layered wood, glued so the grain in each layer runs a different way. A backing layer finishes the plank. The whole sandwich is more stable when humidity moves than a single thick piece of wood.
If you want the showroom version of this conversation, start with hardwood flooring and Hennessy Wood.
Why the layers matter in Southern California homes
Anaheim houses often sit on a concrete slab. Second floors are common, too. Both are places where a solid plank can be the harder product to use.
- Slab installs. Engineered planks are often chosen over concrete because the layered core moves less when the slab and the room are not at the same moisture level. We still test the slab before hardwood goes down.
- Second-floor installs. The layered core is a frequent choice upstairs, where a solid plank's movement is harder to accommodate.
- Existing subfloors. In many remodels the new floor has to go over a floor that is already there, once that floor is flat and sound enough. Engineered planks are often the ones specified for that.
- Wide-plank looks. A wide board in solid wood can move more across its width. Engineered construction is how many of the wide European oak looks in our racks are built.
The hardwood brands we carry names Garrison, Galleher and Hennessy Wood, which is where most of those wide planks in the showroom come from.
The wear layer: the part to ask about
The wear layer is the real wood on top. Its thickness is the number that decides how much surface you have.
A thicker wear layer can be sanded more times over the life of the floor. A thin wear layer still looks like real wood on day one, and it can still be a good floor, but you should know you may not be able to refinish it the way you would a thick solid plank.
Ask for the wear layer in plain units, and ask what the maker says about sanding that specific product. Two planks with the same color name can have very different wear layers.
Can engineered hardwood be refinished?
Sometimes. It depends on the wear layer thickness and on the finish that is already on the plank.
A floor with a thick wear layer can often be sanded and refinished, as long as the sanding stays inside that layer and does not cut into the core. A floor with a thin wear layer may be limited to a screen and a new coat, or it may not be a candidate for sanding at all. Factory finishes are hard, which is good for daily wear and means a future refinish has to be planned, not assumed.
We will tell you what the product in your hand allows. We will not promise that every engineered floor can be sanded like an old solid oak floor.
How long does engineered hardwood last?
There is no single number of years that is honest for every home. Life depends on the wear layer, the finish, the traffic, the care, and whether the floor was installed on a dry, flat subfloor.
What we can say is why people choose it: a real wood surface, a core that suits slab and upstairs rooms, and a floor that is meant to stay. Daily care is simple. Grit is what dulls a finish, so mats at the doors and a sweep that picks up sand matter more than any special cleaner.
How engineered hardwood is installed
Engineered planks go down in one of three ways. The product and the subfloor decide which one:
- Nail. Fastened to a wood subfloor, similar to traditional hardwood.
- Glue. The plank is glued down, which is common over concrete once the slab has been tested.
- Float. Planks lock together over an underlayment and are not fastened to the floor below. Not every product is made to float.
Before hardwood goes over a concrete slab, we moisture-test. If the slab is not a good candidate, we say so before material is ordered.
Many products also need time to acclimate in the house before they are installed. That time is part of the schedule, which is why we do not guess a duration until the rooms are measured. How long flooring installation takes covers the rest.
Questions to ask before you buy engineered hardwood
- Is the top layer real wood, and what species is it?
- How thick is the wear layer, and can this product be refinished?
- Is it meant to be nailed, glued or floated, and which of those fits my subfloor?
- If I have a concrete slab, will it be moisture-tested first?
- Does this plank need to acclimate, and how does that change the schedule?
- What is included in the written number: material, prep and labor?
Our post on buying Hennessy Wood flooring in Orange County applies the same questions to that line.
See engineered hardwood in person
A wear layer is easier to understand when you can see the edge of the plank. In the Anaheim showroom you can compare hardwood flooring from Hennessy Wood, Garrison and Galleher side by side. The lines are listed on our hardwood brands page.
Express Carpet and Hardwood
1440 S State College Blvd, Suites 6B and 6C, Anaheim, CA 92806
(714) 772-0111
Mon-Sat 9:00 AM-4:30 PM, Sun closed