Engineered hardwood wear layer: Is thicker necessarily better?

The wear layer thickness on engineered hardwood flooring varies from one brand to another. There are, indeed, several different ranges of wear layer thickness, from 0.6mm to 4mm. Simply put, the thickness of the wear layer will let you know how many times you can redo your floors. As you can imagine, the thicker the wear layer, the more often you can re-sand and re-varnish your installation. Thus, you can say, thicker wear layers have the benefit of a longer lifespan.

The best engineered hardwood floors for your home

When choosing which is the best engineered hardwood floors for your home, first consider how long you want to keep your installation. In turn, this will help you figure out how thick the wear layer should be. Normally, homeowners don’t need to sand and varnish their installation regularly. Usually, it’s only when they’re damaged, or the planks need updating.

Redoing your engineered hardwood flooring

Although the process is relatively straightforward, it is best to leave sanding and varnishing your planks up to the professionals. Normally, these specialists will redo your installations by first sanding down a thin wear layer, removing superficial dents or scratches. To give the installation back its sheen and protect the surfacing, a coat of finish is then applied.

The average lifespan of your wear layer

On average, you’ll need to redo your floors approximately every 15 to 20 years. However, this will predominantly depend on two things: the average amount of foot traffic and the quality of upkeep.

Estimates of wear layer lifespan

The following is a general idea of how long a wear layer will last. Again, as we mentioned, keep in mind that these numbers depend heavily on foot traffic and upkeep.

• 1mm wear layer: As it is quite thin, this wear layer can only be recoated – not sanded. Expect a lifespan of about 15-25 years.
• 2mm wear layer:Although it is considered relatively thin, you can still refinish it at least once, but most likely twice. Expect a lifespan of about 30-40 years.
• 3mm wear layer:On the thicker side compared to others, this installation can be re-sanded and refinished 2-3 times. Expect a lifespan of about 40-50 years.
• 4mm wear layer:As what’s typically the thickest wear layer, your floors can easily be redone 3-4 times. Expect a lifespan of about 50-80 years.

Which wear layer should I choose?

Normally, we recommend a wear layer of at least 2mm, with 3mm being the most common thickness nowadays on high-quality engineered floors.

Engineered hardwood retailer

Not sure what to buy? We can help you at Wholesale Flooring & Granite! Come visit our showroom in Baton Rouge, LA, where we serve customers from the Denham Springs, Ascension Parish, Baton Rouge, and Baker areas.