Not all engineered wood is created equal, particularly in the flooring industry. Strength, stability and resistance are issues that separate the best from the rest. Fernand Dicaire, director of salesF for Parquet Deluxe, explained the kind of stringent testing that his firm utilizes to determine these qualities.

“When we test an engineered wood product, we install it in our warehouse and leave it there for a substantial amount of time, often as much as three or four months. We try to install it in an area where it will be exposed to a degree of foot traffic equivalent to several years in a typical home. People will walk on it daily, grinding sand, dust and water into it.”

This was exactly the type of punishment that Dicaire’s company inflicted on an engineered flooring product called Engenius from Preverco. Dicaire was very happy to put the product through his company’s performance tests.

“When Preverco introduces a product, we conduct our tests on it,” said Dicaire, whose company had been buying hardwood from Preverco since the company’s inception in 1990. “We install it, examine it and subject it to all kinds of abuse to get a good idea of what the product can do and withstand.”

“We found that the Engenius product wore beautifully as there is a plywood base with several coats of hardwood that makes the wood stable. Plus, the thickness of the wear layer allows us to re-sand it once, possibly twice if needed, replenishing the product and making it look brand new.”

Not peeled or sliced like many imports, Preverco’s Engenius Series is sawn in widths of 3 1/4” inches, creating an aesthetically pleasing plank size. Manufactured in unique, random lengths up to 60 inches, like natural solid wood, the possibility of creating a pattern effect is eliminated. The product’s versatility is evidenced by the fact that it can be installed on a variety of surfaces, including concrete with radiant heating systems and a variety of acoustical membranes.

“We view our relationship with Preverco as more of a partnership,” he said. “They don’t just supply us with product; they provide us with ideas on installation, and we bounce suggestions off of them in terms of product development. We like to think that we help them develop a better product, and they help us improve our installation capabilities.”