Professional's Choice Engineered Wide Plank Hardwood Floors

 Engineered wood floors are made of several layers or plies that are glued together in a cross grain construction. This is not the conventional hardwood that comes directly from a tree and into one's home. It is more complex because it contains several layers, including veneer, plywood, hardwood, or high density fiberboard. With veneer being the outer surface, authenticity and beauty are shown. Also, the other layers are within the core which makes
engineering wood more stable than the ordinary hardwood.

This type of construction is far stronger than a single piece of solid wood and is more structurally sound. It won’t buckle, gap, cup and twist. While no wood floor product can tolerate standing water, increased moisture levels are not a problem for a  Launstein engineered hardwood floor.
These floors are preferred when using wide plank or installed over radiant heat. They can be installed below grade and direct to concrete (solid wood floors cannot). These environmentally sound floors use half as many trees as solid wood floors.

The key to this increased stability and moisture tolerance comes from how an engineered floor is made. Launstein floors range from 3/8” to 3/4” thick with the top layer being your wood of choice. The 5/8” wood floor is a popular one for use on radiant heat, because it is thinner and has a lower R-value: making it is less resistant to heat transfer.
The Launstein Professional Choice flooring series is handcrafted in Mason, Michigan and sold worldwide. This series, like all of the Launstein products, is manufactured from lumber cut especially for this flooring line which gives a unique grain pattern and is then kiln dried to 6% moisture content.

Our Professional Choice flooring is best known for its unrivaled, Old World, appearance. Our on-site craftsmen start by using several texturing techniques, and tools, to achieve the unique look of each floor in the series.  A green friendly oil is then burnished into the wood to provide a long lasting and easily maintained floor finish. We can achieve any look you desire for your floor: French Oak Flooring, Wide Plank Floors, Textured Flooring, Hand Scraped Floors, Wire Brushed Flooring and the popular distressed floor look.

These beautiful floors are available in our engineered, ¾” thick, tongue and groove. Also available is our original 3/8” thick solid, which is a great choice for light residential and wall/ceiling applications. Like all Launstein floor products this series is approved for radiant heat application.

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Samples are available!
Additional charges may apply. Call for details.

Engineered Widths: 3" through 11"

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Engineered Wood Floors Vs. Solid Wood Flooring

    As mentioned before, engineered wood floors are more stable than the solid wood floors. This makes them great for Wide Plank Flooring and application over radiant heat. This doesn’t mean that solid wood floors are in adequate though. We have many different grades and milling techniques to coax the most stability out of our solid plank floors. Whichever direction you chose we have the right flooring option for you. Just give us a call for a free consultation.

Advantages of wide plank engineered flooring:

• Engineered flooring is less susceptible to variations in temperature and humidity, making it less likely to warp with weather changes.
• Engineered flooring is ideal if you want to install a wood floor over a concrete subfloor - whether it’s on the ground floor of a house with no basement or in the basement itself.
• Engineered flooring can also be installed on any level at grade or below - though it’s not as advisable to use it on above-grade levels where solid plank flooring would be more suitable.

Considerations before installing Engineered wood Floors

When it comes to the concrete sub floor, it's imperative to ensure the entire concrete is completely dry before applying any wood flooring. Some engineered flooring is mostly used with direct glue down. And with some other engineered flooring, the traditional nail down is used even though some of those traditional methods should be used in conjunction with the recommended glue that has solvent-based, construction adhesive.

Due to acclimation and/or concrete sub floor, there are various preparations steps that must be adhered to in order to properly install engineering hardwood. With acclimation, seasonal changes are certain to vary continually even though our floors are kiln dried to six percent. Therefore, flooring must not be exposed to excessive moisture and humidity, and the subfloor's moisture content and new wood flooring must not vary above two to three percent. Any thick level of the board also shouldn't be applied for the subfloor. Additionally, the surrounding atmosphere and product must be raised in the mid 60 degree temperature range for one week, and the humidity should remain between 38 to 42 percent before the installation process to even after the installation.

We have detailed installation instructions on our Hardwood Floors page, if you are looking for additional resources the National Wood Flooring Association website has some additional information. If you get stuck, or have any questions feel free to call us, we are always here to help.

Low VOC Engineered Floors

Volatile organic compounds are chemicals released from building materials that can cause irritation in people with allergies or other sensitivities, and there are many floor coverings that are VOC emissions. Therefore, there is a low VOC floor from a material with little or no volatile organic compounds that can be harmful to people in the home, because VOC can cause allergic reactions, such as asthma, headaches cause, tract infections upper respiratory tract, rashes, and even cancer.  Which is why we strive to us the best sealants, thinners and solvents on the market today.