If you want to spruce up your home’s living space, it may be time to give installing engineered wood floors a whirl. Although carpets can be comfy and respectful absorbers of sound, replacing them with engineered wood floors is sure to comprise a dramatic update — and one that leaves your wallet feeling rather surprisingly unravished. That’s because engineered wood floors provide the clean, yet opulent, appearance of solid wood floors but at a greatly more accessible price. You can find multiple styles of engineered flooring to fit into your design schemes and allocated budget.

Although your project may be characterized by its attention to overall expenses, style need not be the factor that’s sacrificed in the altar of the dollar bill — engineered materials will permit you to go for the look of exotic wood flooring, even, if that’s what you desire. This exceptional man-made flooring can be found in shops, or online, in a medley of exquisite choices. Deciding among so many attractive options may prove somewhat daunting, so taking a good look at your home and getting a clearer picture of what you aspire for it will help as you browse galleries of what is available.

Looking at the marvelous pictures, inspiration will be in no short supply. If you take a look at what’s offered for bamboo engineered wood flooring, you’ll find that many of its color options would make an excellent contribution to your home’s décor.

However, there is no reason to feel overwhelmed by an abundance of choices. What you see before you can always be reduced to a more personalized top-list by taking into account more factors that are important to you, like certifications for sustainability. Not all the available flooring will be FSC-certified. If that is something you care about, then you can easily whittle down your list for potential purchases.

Moreover, homeowners are also encouraged to look at the components of adhesives used. Using materials that are known to off-gas harmful substances is not a risk you want to take. Check with your supplier to obtain confirmation that the adhesive used for your floating wood floor does not contain urea-formaldehyde.

Sam Walters is a writer living in Los Angeles. Her writing appears in print and online.