What Is Multiply Wood?

Flooring Base

• The base, or underlayment, that a floor sits on is as important as the flooring itself, providing a strong starting point over which to lay tile, hardwood, or carpet. The Multiply brand of manufactured underlayment features a nail pattern that specifies where each nail or fastener should go to provide a tight, level fit. It does not absorb moisture, making it ideal for characteristically damp areas such as basements and enclosed porches. It resists punctures, does not stain and deadens noise.

Hardwood Flooring

• The plies that make up engineered hardwood flooring are glued together using heat and pressure. Each ply can be composed of three to nine separate layers placed on top of each other in opposite directions, a process known as cross-ply construction. Multiply wood can be used on all construction materials including dry fully cured concrete. The top layer can be finished in any type of hardwood, while the lower plies are constructed of softer woods. Engineered flooring never needs sanding and can be re-coated as often as necessary to keep it looking like new. It can be glued, stapled or floated over other types of sub-flooring, including concrete and other types of flooring such as vinyl sheeting or tiles. Floating a floor involves first installing an underlying membrane followed by clicking together sections that require no gluing or nailing.

Manufacturing Facts

• Engineered multiply hardwood is sometimes mistaken for laminate flooring, but the two are constructed differently. Multiply wood is glued together and finished with a top layer of natural wood, while laminate wood uses a photographic image to reproduce the appearance of real hardwood. Engineered flooring ranges from 1/4 to 9/16 inches thick, 2 1/2 to 8 inches wide and can be cut to the desired length. The top visible layer can be cut from standard North American hardwood trees or other more exotic species.

Considerations

• Once the top layer is attached to the multiple lower plies, several coats of polyurethane finish are applied to protect the wood. Attaching a top thin layer of real hardwood makes engineered flooring more economical than solid wood planks. As engineered flooring is thinner than solid wood planks, it can create a height differential between the floors in different areas, but this generally has little effect on the quality of the flooring or its durability.