To a traditionalist, engineered hardwood flooring may seem objectionable. The term “engineered” implies it was designed and constructed, as opposed to having simply grown in the woods, fueled by sunshine, soil, and rain.
And in many cases, that traditionalist makes a good argument. Unadulterated solid wood is beautiful and sturdy and pure. But it has limitations.
Solid wood, as a formerly living entity, continues to react to its environment, most noticeably by expanding and contracting due to changes in temperature and humidity, and by warping, buckling, or splitting if it is in prolonged contact with excessive wetness.
As such, in locations that regularly confront moisture, the stability of engineered planks is recommended to combat movement and degradation. And one doesn’t have to live in a rainforest to encounter excessive moisture.
Planks laid in bathrooms, laundry rooms, below grade in basement rooms, or anywhere when laid directly on concrete, all have the potential for degradation due to moisture, even in relatively dry climates.