Waterproof hardwood flooring gives you the character of hardwood with a built-in insurance policy against water and liquids.
In this guide, you will learn about waterproof hardwood flooring, its pros and cons, and the best waterproof hardwood flooring.
Why Choose Waterproof Hardwood Flooring
Real hardwood is beautiful, but moisture can be its worst enemy.
Everyday spills, pet accidents, wet shoes, and even humidity can seep into wood flooring and destroy the wood from the inside out.
Over time, fading, stains, buckling, and warping can turn a smart investment into an expensive problem.
Waterproof hardwood keeps the water out, so your floors stay stable and beautiful.
Waterproof hardwood flooring is designed to keep moisture out, helping your floors stay stable, durable, and beautiful.
It lets you enjoy the look of real wood without the constant worry about spills and moisture that comes with traditional hardwood floors.
Waterproof hardwood features a real hardwood veneer that’s permanently bonded to a 100% waterproof composite core.
Unlike solid or traditional engineered wood, waterproof hardwood is built around its core.
Without a waterproof core, moisture can eventually find a way in.
Traditional solid and engineered hardwood floors rely mainly on a water-resistant coating applied to the surface.
Waterproof hardwood is engineered to block moisture from the inside out.
Waterproof Hardwood Vs. Hardwood Flooring with a Water-Resistant Coating
The main difference between waterproof hardwood and solid hardwood—whether solid, engineered, prefinished or unfinished—is how much time you have to deal with spills and leaks.
Waterproof hardwood can be exposed to liquids for extended periods without damage.
Pooling water remains on the surface instead of soaking in.
That’s why waterproof hardwood flooring outperforms solid and traditional engineered hardwood when it comes to spills, wet feet, and standing water.
You get more forgiveness, less stress, and greater peace of mind. Without sacrificing the look of real wood.
The Benefits of Waterproof Hardwood Flooring
Waterproof hardwood offers four key benefits homeowners love.
- Waterproof Protection
- The Natural Beauty of Real Hardwood
- Versatile Installation Options
- Kid and Pet Friendly Durability
Waterproof Protection
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Waterproof hardwood lets you enjoy the look of real wood with added protection.
Waterproof hardwood flooring is ready for almost anything – from cracked eggs and big bowls of dropped cereal to a leaky washer or an aquarium mishap.
It means less stress over water issues and more confidence knowing your floors are built to handle them.
The Natural Beauty of Real Hardwood
A properly installed waterproof hardwood adds lasting value to your home with the uniqueness and natural beauty of hardwood. Natural hardwood is unsurpassed in look and feel, and you can’t fabricate it. Manufactured vinyl and laminate material designed to look and perform like wood isn’t the same as real wood, however close it appears.
Yes, you can get a similar look to hardwood with advanced embossed imaging, but eventually the image pattern repeats across your floor. And when it comes to performance, hardwood has no equal. Real hardwood has a one-of-a-kind aesthetic only nature provides.
Versatile Install Options
Have you ever dreamt about having real hardwood floors in your kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room, or even your basement? Then waterproof hardwood flooring is the perfect choice. You can install it above or below grade level and put it in any room you choose.
Kid and Pet-Friendly Durability
If you’re an active family with pets, waterproof hardwood flooring is one of your best options. Waterproof hardwood is designed to bring peace of mind, including surprises from pets.
All of the best waterproof hardwood brands include enhanced wear layer protection that guards the wood against wet paws, urine, scratches, dents, and more. This wear layer is also an ideal surface for active children who love to play.
The Limitations of Waterproof Hardwood Flooring
Even though waterproof hardwood flooring offers many benefits, it also has limitations.
Knowing them up front will help you decide whether it’s right for you.
100% Waterproof?
The core is 100% waterproof, but the veneer is solid, factory-finished hardwood, which is held tight to the core.
Wood will always begin to degrade when it’s fully submerged in water. That’s just the nature of wood.
Installing waterproof wood flooring greatly mitigates the risk of water damage and prevents it from the inside. But it won’t eliminate the possibility for surface damage during a disaster.
If your dishwasher seriously malfunctions, a pipe bursts, or a hurricane hits and floods your home, waterproof flooring offers limited protection.
You will have to contact your insurance company after any unfortunate events where damage occurs below the floor.
The difference is that your floor itself may still be salvageable, depending on how much water you’re dealing with.
A Thinner Wear Layer than Solid Hardwood
Another limitation to many waterproof wood products is that the top wood layer thickness of waterproof hardwood (the veneer) is thinner than solid hardwood.
The veneer thickness varies from product to product, and options range up to 1.8mm (70.8 mils).
A useful way to illustrate the thickness of a mil is to know that…
- 1 mil = 1/1000th of one inch
- Plastic wrap = 5 mils
1.6 – 2mm is the base recommended thickness required for screening or sanding and refinishing.
A floor with a 1.6 – 2mm wear layer can be refinished 1-2 times and last anywhere from 30-40 years.
Waterproof hardwood is built to last, but isn’t designed to be sanded and refinished.
Limitations to Scratch and Dent Resistance
The best waterproof hardwoods are pet-proof, but if you have a mastiff or other large dog whose nails aren’t consistently trimmed, your floor will be tested.
And if you have two big dogs with untrimmed nails, who love running between rooms to chase their squirrel and chipmunk friends they see outside, then you may want to test the flooring’s scratch-resistance before you commit.
However, the factory finish is the most durable finish available.
When it comes to maintaining any kind of hardwood floor in a home with pets, your best strategy is always prevention. For dog moms and dads this means, among other things, keeping their nails trimmed.
The Best Waterproof Hardwood Flooring
We sell waterproof hardwood flooring in our store, and offer various brands. We highly recommend Raintree waterproof hardwood.
Many of our customers have found their dream floor with these products.
Raintree Waterproof Hardwood Flooring
Raintree combines NWFA-qualified original hardwood designs with 100% waterproof materials.
You can install these floors without glue or staples, and they’re finished with aluminum oxide, which is more durable than any polyurethane.
Raintree waterproof hardwood floors are tough and easy to maintain, so you will appreciate both the beauty and convenience.
Raintree Nashville Scene Collection
For sliced American hickory with a matte finish, look at The Nashville Collection by Raintree.
Raintree Aspen Scene Collection
For white oak with a matte finish, see The Aspen Collection by Raintree.
Raintree Laguna Vibes Collection
For white oak in natural colors, take a look at The Laguna Vibes Collection by Raintree.
What About Waterproof Vinyl Flooring?
Although there’s nothing quite like hardwood in your home, LVP flooring has come a long way since tacky, old stick vinyl.
High image embossing gives you a surface that closely resembles hardwood, and many people have trouble telling the difference.
Knots look and feel more like knots. Beveled edges also provide a more authentic appearance, leaving you with a surface that looks and feels much more like actual wood than options available in the past.
Vinyl is a popular choice, especially in basements and bathrooms.
The main benefit of vinyl is that it’s extremely tough and many products are waterproof.
However, when it comes to elegance and value, nothing beats hardwood.
Summary
Waterproof hardwood flooring offers many benefits and has a few limitations.
With this flooring option, you can bring comfort, warmth, and the natural look of hardwood to any room.
You won’t worry about water issues like you would with traditional wood flooring options.
At the same time, waterproof hardwood has its limitations. A thinner layer of wood is necessary for a waterproof design, but this thinner layer reduces the number of times you can refinish your floors.
In most situations though, you won’t ever have to. The floor will last a long time.
With proper maintenance and care, the longevity of waterproof hardwood exceeds most people’s expectations.
In the end, it all comes down to what works best for you, your family, and your space.
Once installed, your floor will look incredible.
If you’re looking for the beauty of engineered hardwood with extra water protection, you will be very happy with waterproof hardwood.
