Shaw Floors Empire Oak Herringbone Engineered Hardwood

Real wood on top, a stable core underneath: that combination is why engineered hardwood ends up in more Toronto condos and finished basements than solid ever could.

In simple terms: Shaw Floors Empire Oak Herringbone is real oak over a multi-ply core. The surface is the same wood you would get in a solid floor; the core is what keeps it flat over a slab, in a basement, or through the seasons. We stock it and our crew installs it.

The wood and the build: It is real oak, a warm, familiar grain that takes stain well and suits almost any room. The core is the quiet workhorse here. A dimensionally stable engineered core resists the expansion and contraction that makes solid wood cup, gap, or lift. That is why it may be suitable for on-grade or above-grade use, and some collections for below-grade use when approved, including basements and concrete slabs, and over in-floor radiant heat, places solid hardwood cannot. The surface is wire-brushed, which lifts the grain for texture and quietly hides everyday wear. Micro-bevelled edges give each plank a defined line and absorb the seasonal movement of a wood floor. Colours in the range include Astor, Carnegie, Morgan, and Cabot.

Engineered hardwood gives you options solid wood does not: glue-down over concrete, floating, or nail-down over plywood. Our own crew installs Shaw Floors Empire Oak Herringbone across the Toronto and Mississauga area, Barrie, and Simcoe County, never subcontracted, and we flatten and moisture-test the subfloor first, finish the trim, and handle matching stairs. See our hardwood installation page.

Decision line: Empire Oak Herringbone is the practical middle ground, real wood with the stability to go over concrete, into basements, and across the seasons.

We keep Empire Oak Herringbone at both stores, where the grain, sheen, and colour read properly. It is radiant-rated, so it pairs with the in-floor heating membranes we stock for in-floor heating projects. Contact us about availability, or start from our Toronto and Barrie hardwood pages. For the full Shaw Floors range, see our Shaw Floors page.