Hardwood Flooring Types: Which Should You Choose?

If you are having a hard time determining the type of hardwood flooring you want in your home, we have designed this article to help you out. There are two main types of hardwood flooring, which include solid flooring and engineered flooring. Let’s take a look at both of them in depth now.

Solid Hardwood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is considered a single piece of solid wood floor. The thickness of the wooden slabs will depend on your preference, but in general, most homeowners choose three quarter inch thick pieces. Solid wood flooring is ideal for installation on grade or above grade.

This type of hardwood flooring will often need to be sanded down at some point in its lifetime and refinished, especially if any damage occurs to the wood itself.

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring is a bit different than solid hardwood flooring. In fact, engineered wood is made from wood veneers. Typically, there are multiple types of wood used in make the veneers and the grains within the wood will run different ways to help provide stability. The thickness of each piece will depend on your preference.

Finished vs. Unfinished

The next option you will have when it comes to your hardwood flooring type is whether or not you want to have the hardwood finished or unfinished.

An unfinished floor means that the wood comes to your home without any type of varnish on it and the installation expert will sand and finish the floor in your home, on site. The downside to an unfinished floor is that you will not be able to walk on the surface of the floor for a while to allow it time to dry. This can be an inconvenience for homeowners who need to move around within their home and cannot spend some time away. Typically, you will need to have the floors refinished regularly to maintain their beautiful sheen and shine. On the upside, you are able to choose the type of finish you want.

Factory finished wood flooring is another choice available and this means that the flooring arrives to your home with a finish already placed on it. The finish is applied at the factory and the floors are ready to walk on and use once they are installed. This is a great choice for those who need to maintain living in their home throughout the installation process.

As mentioned above, you can choose the type of finish on your floor and your options include:

• Glossy
• Matte
• Semi-gloss
• Matte sheen
• Oil-based finishes
• Wax finishes
• And more

When it comes to your hardwood flooring in your home, take some time to explore your options and consider both the pros and cons of each option. The choice is really up to you and what you prefer. If you need help choosing the right type of hardwood flooring in your home or you need some guidance on what type of finish to choose, call the professionals at The Floor Shop today.