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Engineered flooring looks a lot like a solid hardwood floor, but something is different below the surface. Made up of three to seven cross stacked layers of wood that are glued and laminated together under high pressure, this flooring material doesn’t react to humidity the way traditional hardwood does. Engineered hardwood floors work in almost every room in the home, including kitchens and basements that don’t get much moisture.

You can get engineered flooring in either strips or planks, as well as in the form of parquet flooring – tiles in a beautiful geometric design. Most engineered floors are designed with tongue and grove for fast and easy installation. The is look is almost identical to solid hardwood, and the price is about the same too. However, engineered flooring works better in installations over concrete slabs, in basements, and in other places where it’s hard to install a traditional hardwood floor. Need to install your floor in an area with high humidity, but one that’s not wet? Engineered hardwood is the best choice here, too.

Some types of engineered hardwood flooring are more sustainable than traditional wood, as well. There are all kinds of floors, from those made from hardwoods around a core of hardwood, to hardwood around fiberboard, to hardwood wrapped around a high density board made from wheat waste material. Quality is determined by the thickness of the board and the thickness of the veneer. This is important, since thicker hardwood veneer means a greater ability to refinish the floor. Generally, this veneer is three eighths of an inch to five eighths of an inch thick.

The type and thickness of the finish used over the veneer can also tell you whether or not the engineered hardwood floor you’re thinking about purchasing will be high in quality. Remember that you should always buy a few extra boards in case on needs to be replaced, and look for finishes that include UV cured polyurethane and aluminum oxide. This kind of finish is very durable, and guaranteed for twenty five years of longer in most cases. Prefinished floors are less messy and much easier to install.

Like regular hardwood, engineered flooring can reduce the dust and allergens in your home, enhancing the quality of your indoor air. It is true that they add value to your home but not as much as a solid hardwood floor. However, they’re easier to install, can be put in almost every room, and are incredibly simple to maintain. If you love hardwood floors, take some time to talk to the professionals at http://professionalhardwood.com.com so you can make the choice that works best for your home.

Learn all about Engineered Flooring and get your FREE Buying Resource Guide at Professional Hardwood.com. Visit us at http://professionalhardwood.com.

There are many things to consider before taking on any renovations. Not all homeowners understand the idea behind renovations. Here you will see some home improvement tips for a return on investment, which is important to most homeowners.

In order to understand this further, an example would be in order. For instance, an upscale home in an upscale area requires high end materials and perfect results. The norm would be to have expensive high grade custom wood cabinets and cupboards in the kitchen. Nothing else would suffice. But, such renovations would exceed the norm in an average middle class home and neighborhood. Although this would bring the latter some value, there is a limit to how much and that would result in a loss on your investment.

And, vice-versa! An upscale home would depreciate in value if the materials used were low end. The important thing to remember in home renovations is that the improvement must be in tune with the property and any future potential buyers. Not only should it please you, the homeowner, it should keep the type and actual value of the home.

Making wise choices and knowing where to draw the line with renovations and home improvements are key to getting the return on your investment. There is nothing worse than installing the most expensive hardwood floors in an average home, costing you thousands of dollars and getting nothing for that investment.

In order to benefit and make money on your investment, however, the bathrooms and the kitchens are the biggest winners. Putting in a new backsplash that complements the overall look of the kitchen will be profitable and there are so many different finishes and materials on the market to choose from.

A new countertop can also breath new air into a tired kitchen. Again, there are endless materials on the market, including the professional look you get from stainless steel. Stone, such as granite is also in demand and would get you a good return on your money. Instead of going for the high end granite, opt for the tiles that still look great and still say “granite” to buyers, at a much lower cost. This is an optimum choice for the middle class home.

A word of caution is necessary, however. When renovating and picking materials, not only should you be looking for durability, but also easy maintenance. Very few homeowners are interested in spending endless hours cleaning difficult surfaces.

April Kerr writes for Basement Finishing Ideas which has details of basement decoration ideas and basement ceiling tips.