Wood Flooring

Hardwood Flooring

What is Hardwood Flooring?

There are many things to consider when looking into hardwood flooring. Do you want finished or unfinished wood? Do you want solid or engineered wood? What does all this even mean? The great looks of hardwood come in many different styles to fit many different wants and needs.

Ultimately, there are two main types of hardwood flooring: solid and engineered wood. Solid wood is exactly how it sounds. It is a solid piece of wood that can come in 5/8 to ¾ thickness. On the other end, engineered wood is thin slices of wood glued to several layers of wood underneath. This is similar to plywood, however engineered wood is designed to be more durable and of course, more aesthetic.

By coming in a certain thickness, solid wood is able to be refinished. What this means is the wood is able to be sanded down, re-stained, and resealed. This allows for a new look to your floors if there is noticeable wear and tear. Also, by refinishing floors, individuals are able to change the stain if desired. Engineered wood is able to be refinished (depending on the thickness), however it is able to be refinished once or twice.

Advantages of Hardwood Flooring

Can increase your home value by 3-5%

Easy to clean and able to stand up to heavy foot traffic

Offer a timeless and high-quality appeal to homes.

Disadvantages of Hardwood Flooring

Living in Florida, hardwood does not react well to the humidity (expansion and contraction issues)

Hardwood, specifically solid, requires more prep work and is a more time-consuming job.

Considerably more expensive than laminate, tile, or carpet.