Advantages of Engineered Hardwood Flooring in Your Connecticut Home

Engineered wood flooring is an alternative to solid hardwood flooring made entirely out of real wood.  It's currently the most popular type of flooring in the world.  North America is the only area left where traditional, solid wood floors still outnumber engineered floors, but engineered wood flooring is quickly catching up, with the rate of use for new builds, as well as remodels, increasing steadily every year for the past few decades.  Inspectors and homeowners alike may be interested in how this product is manufactured and installed, and what its advantages are compared to older, more traditional forms of flooring.

Brief History

The beginnings of mass-produced wood flooring can be dated as far back as 1903, when an E. L. Roberts mail-order catalog offered “wood carpeting.”  This flooring consisted of 1½ x 5/16-inch wooden strips that were glued to heavy canvas that was then installed by tacking it down with brads.  The wood was then sanded and finished.  The varnishes used were usually slow-curing tung oils from China.  These were not durable in themselves, so the floors were hot-waxed and buffed to a shine with a floor brush.

Early examples of the “wood carpet” eventually evolved into more modern iterations, such as laminate flooring, which consists of melamine-infused paper as its upper layer, and wood-chip composite beneath.  Laminate flooring typically features a printed or embossed top layer meant to approximate the look of real hardwood.

The current incarnation of engineered wood flooring has been available since the 1960s, and has steadily increased in quality, leading to improved advantages over traditional hardwood flooring.

Composition

Engineered wood flooring is most commonly made with a plywood-core substrate and a real hardwood veneer or skin, which comes pre-finished from the factory.  The top veneer, which looks just like the top of a traditional solid wood plank, is called the lamella. 

Some engineered flooring utilizes a finger-core construction, with a substrate comprised of small pieces of milled timber running perpendicular to the lamella.  This can be made with an additional layer of plywood running parallel to the lamella, which gives it added stability.  Fiberboard-core flooring is also available, but it's generally considered to be an inferior option. 

Engineered wood flooring is meant to be indistinguishable from traditional hardwood floor once it's installed, and only the lamella is visible.  The lamella veneers available are made from nearly every type of common wood, as well as many more exotic ones, in order to provide the same variety of aesthetics typical of quality hardwood floors.  The substrate that the veneer is attached to is just as strong and durable as hardwood -- if not stronger -- and the finish applied at the factory often outlasts one applied on-site to solid wood flooring.  Even surface effects are available that can be applied to the finish to give the flooring a time-worn look, such as light distressing.

Engineered flooring runs the gamut from the low end, starting at $3 per square foot, to the high, at $14 and more. To judge quality, check the thickness of the lamella, the number of layers in the substrate, and the number of finish coats.  Typically, the more layers, the better. Listed below are descriptions of the advantages of adding layers to the construction in the common classes of engineered boards:

• 3-ply construction: 1- to 2-mm wear layer; five finish coats; 10- to 15-year warranty; 1⁄4-inch thick; current price is about $3 to $5 per square foot.  Options for lamella veneer are limited to common species, such as oak and ash, and just a few stains are available;
  
  
• 5-ply construction: 2- to 3-mm wear layer; seven finish coats; 15- to 25-year warranty; 1⁄4-inch thick; about $6 to $9 per square foot.  More species, such as cherry, beech, and some exotics are available for lamella, as well as all stains, and a few surface effects, such as distressing; and
  
  
• 7-ply or more: 3+-mm wear layer, which can be sanded two or more times; nine finish coats; 25+-year warranty; 5/8- to 3⁄4-inch thick; average price is about $10 to $14 per square foot.  The widest selection of species is available for lamella, including reclaimed options.  More surface treatments are also available, such as hand-scraped and wire-brushed.

The cost of engineered flooring can be around 20% more than that of traditional flooring, but the difference can be offset or recouped by saving on installation, staining and sealing.

Installation

Installation of engineered wood flooring is generally quite simple compared to the installation of traditional hardwood, and can often be accomplished by a homeowner without the help of a professional flooring contractor.  If the services of a professional are enlisted, the job can be done more quickly and cost-effectively than if solid hardwood were to be installed.  Engineered flooring can be fastened in place with screws or nails, glued down, or left to "float," relying on its mass to hold it in place.  Listed below are several installation methods:

• A bead of glue can be applied to the tongue of each board, which is then tapped into place with a block. The floor floats, unattached to the sub-floor except by force of gravity.
  
  
• A floor stapler and compressor can be used to rapidly secure the boards to the existing floor, without having to deal with any glue.
  
  
• Boards can be laid in a bed of adhesive, as is done with tile.  This approach works particularly well over cured concrete, which precludes the use of staples.
  
  
• Some types of engineered floor are designed with milled tongues and grooves that lock together without glue or fasteners. It's the quickest and cleanest installation method.

Advantages of Engineered Flooring

While solid hardwood is a great traditional building material that provides aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound flooring, it does have its limitations.  For example, it cannot be installed directly on concrete or below grade, such as in basements.  It is generally limited in plank width and is more prone to gapping, which is excessive space between planks, and cupping, which is a concave or "dished" appearance of the plank, with the height of the plank along its longer edges being higher than the center with increased plank size.  Solid hardwood also cannot be used where radiant-floor heating is in place.

 

Engineered wood flooring, on the other hand, can actually provide some distinct advantages over traditional hardwood in many instances and applications.  Some of these include:

• Lamella veneer is available in dozens of wood species.
• Surface effects can be applied to further enhance its appearance.
• The factory finish can outlast site-applied finish on solid hardwoods.
• Drying time for the finish is eliminated because it's pre-applied at the factory.
• It can be used in basements and over concrete slabs.
• Installation is quick and easy.
• It can be used over radiant-heat systems.
• It can be refinished to repair normal wear and tear.
• The core layer can expand and contract more freely without warping.
• The flooring can be removed and re-installed elsewhere, if desired.

Engineered wood flooring is increasingly the first choice for floor installations, and its advantages, in many circumstances, can be exceptional.  Homeowners with a little DIY experience can usually install it themselves.  Inspectors are likely to encounter it in new builds as well as remodels even more frequently as it continues to gain in popularity every year.

by Nick Gromicko and Ethan Ward

Nick Gromicko, FOUNDER. http://www.nachi.org
International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) is the world's most elite, non-profit inspection association.
President, ComInspect, www.cominspect.com
Director, Master Inspector Certification Board, www.certifiedmasterinspector.org
Author, 15 books and Co-Host of  http://www.NACHI.TV  

A note From Judy: If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in Fairfield County, and are in need of representation, I invite you to contact me, and if you have an idea for a topic that you would like to see on The CT Realty Blog, please include it in the "Post a Comment" section link below this post. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to providing you with the best real estate content, advice and service in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

 

Happy 2012! Here's the Fairfield County CT Forecast for the Year Ahead.

We welcome the new year with year end real estate market reports for each of the towns that we service. The short story is that on the whole, the real estate market in 2011 did not quite measure up to the previous year, and property values are down slightly on a  countywide basis, however it truly seems that we have been through the worst of the pricing downturn. 2011 wasn't so bad when you look at the slide we experienced in the years prior to that.  Expect 2012 to have some "bumps" primarily due to shadow inventory hitting the marketplace, but overall the year ahead looks bright. It's an election year, too, and historically,  the real estate market in general reacts favorably at this time. At minimum, prices are expected to stabilize.

Meanwhile, we have compiled 2011 year-end statistics and they are all right here for your review. If you have any questions, we invite you to ask!

Our market reviews for our five top towns include analyses by price range and bedroom count, and annual overviews going back to 2005. Check back on our individual town blogs for local real estate forecasts and advice for the coming year, as well as our weekly updates.

2011 Easton Market Review

2011 Fairfield Market Review

2011 Norwalk Market Review

2011 Trumbull Market Review

2011 Westport Market Review

The other Southwestern Connecticut Towns that we service have quarterly and annual statistics. You can find real estate market reports for the following towns on our Quarterly Reports Page:

In Fairfield County:
Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Monroe, New Canaan, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull, Weston and Westport

In New Haven County or in "The Valley":
Ansonia, Derby, Milford, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton

 For future reference, these Market Reports can be accessed under"Real Estate Market Data Reports"  on the left hand side bar of our website.

Check back soon for individual town forecasts with pricing and market recommendations.

A note from Judy: If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in Fairfield County, and are in need of an Realtor to represent you, I invite you to contact me, and if you have an idea for a topic that you would like to see on The CT Realty Blog, please include it in the "Post a Comment" section link below this post. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to providing you with the best real estate content, advice and service in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Wishing a Safe and Especially Happy New Year to All

Here's to  2012..... and to family,

friends, clients and followers-

and wishing all a Happy and Safe Holiday.

"The difference between ordinary

and extraordinary is that little extra."

Connecticut Financing Update and Mortgage Rates December 30, 2011

Nearly eighty percent of American households believe that NOW is a good time to buy a home, according to the MBA and the Research Institute for Housing America (RIHA), which just  released their new exclusive report: "The Great Recession and Attitudes Toward Home Buying." "The report finds that almost 80 percent of American households believe that now is a good time to buy a home, despite high unemployment, slow economic growth and problems plaguing the economy.
 
This positive attitude is attributable to low house prices and low mortgage interest rates. The data shows that the pattern of home-buying sentiment during the current recession looks similar to that of past recessions and is consistent with the long-run average level." This is good to know, and it is good to know that it is free at and available for download at www.housingamerica.org.

People in the mortgage banking industry are beginning to talk about the "new normal." After years of unusually robust economic growth, we've fallen into a period of weak demand and it requires a complete reassessment of priorities and future expectations.

Origination volume has dropped from a peak of $3 trillion in 2005 to a volume of less than $1 trillion in 2012 - a level not seen since 1997. With faint hope of near-term recovery, mortgage lenders need to think strategically about a future that demands a leaner, more efficient business model.

Lender profitability is measured by the amount of gain earned off loans sold to investors. This gain is simply the difference between the price sold to originators (the buy-side position) versus the price sold to investors (the sell-side position). As long as the originator’s price is accurate and the investor is providing the best possible price at delivery, lenders optimize their revenue efficiency and ensure themselves a high margin per loan.

One-eighth of a point on a $200,000 loan might only be $250, but when the Mortgage Bankers Association reports that average profit per loan in the second quarter of this year was only $575, you’re talking about losing practically half of your profit. This leaves little room for other potential losses.

In this age of uncertainty, mortgage lenders are forced to evaluate their business model from all sides. By providing originators and secondary marketing with technology that enables them to make more reliable decisions, lenders can protect their profitability and lay the foundation for success in the "new normal" world of mortgage lending.

Today's Mortgage Rates

30 year fixed - 3.850% + 0% cost points for rate
20 year fixed - 3.750% + 0 % points for rate
15 year fixed - 3.250% +  0% points for rate
10 year fixed - 2.875%  + 0%  points for rate
5/1 ARM - 2.375%  +0 points for rate
7/1 ARM - 2.750 %  + 0 points for rate
10/1 ARM 3.250% + 0 points for rate

FHA/VA
30 year fixed - 3.750% with +0 % points for rate
5/1 ARM - 2.750%  with + 0 points for rate
7/1 ARM - 3.25 with +  .625 % CREDIT  point for rate

Jumbo - over to 2,000,000
30 year fixed - 4.625  % with 0 points  for rate
15 year fixed - 4.125% with 0  points for rate
5/1 ARM - 3.375% - 0 points for rate
7/1 ARM - 3.750 % - 0 points for rate
10/1 ARM - 4.375% with 0 points for rate

Jennifer Buchanan,  Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist at MetLife Loans is a seasoned veteran of the Mortgage, Banking and Broker Industry and specializes in mortgage loans throughout Fairfield County, Connecticut.
   Her attention to detail is unsurpassed, and her understanding of the marketplace makes it easy to find the right loan to fit her clients specific needs .  Jennifer's local processing and closing team are also known for their exemplary service.
   Understanding that the vast majority of mortgage brokers never discuss the long or short term  financial needs or goals with their clients, she set herself apart from the rest by obtaining the coveted CMPS  designation. (Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist)
    She is a member of the National Association of Responsible Loan Officers, and her commitment to ethics, understanding of the marketplace, and business acumen have earned her the respect of her peers and clients alike.

Jennifer Buchanan
Metlife Loans
203-341-6949

Jennifer Buchanan- Your certified expert
 on mortgages offering Free Unbiased
recommendations based on your needs.

A note from Judy: If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in Fairfield County, and are in need of an Realtor to represent you, I invite you to contact me, and if you have an idea for a topic that you would like to see on The CT Realty Blog, please include it in the "Post a Comment" section link below this post. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to providing you with the best real estate content, advice and service in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

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