Engineered wood floors are man-made (think plywood) in layers and glued/epoxied/or heat-joined. While to the layman's eye there isn't a world of difference in their looks (there is a difference tho'), engineered floors are usually more scratch/wear resistant than real solid wood floors. However, if you gouge or deeply scratch an engineered floor, the difference in the layers will be evident whereas a solid wood floor is basically the same color throughout the plank. Some engineered wood is water resistant, but to my knowledge none is water proof. When an engineered floor gets soaked, as in a flood, the floor pieces begin to separate and curl (ugly) real wood floors, if properly attached, will not "come apart", but it will warp/shrink/mold overtime. But with real wood, you can REsand REshape and REfinish the floor...with engineered wood you can only REplace! Hope this helps... :)
