Solid Wood vs. Engineered Wood
Before picking out the wood species, an important choice in choosing between types of wooden floors is choosing between solid wood or engineered wood. Solid wood flooring is all wood, with the individual planks made from single hardwood pieces. Engineered wood is a thin veneer of natural wood glued over different layers, typically plywood or high-density fiberboard (HDF). Each of these categories comes with advantages and uses.
Solid Wood Advantages
One of the advantages of solid wood flooring is that the planks can be sanded and refinished multiple times over its life cycle. With some maintenance, solid wood floors make a great choice for homeowners who want to have their floors last, and look beautiful, as long as possible. You can also choose from various wood species, cut patterns, and finishes, which is good if you have a specific species or style in mind and want to ensure your home has the ideal flooring.
Engineered Wood Advantages
Engineered wood has the advantage of being less susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity compared to solid wood which can expand or contract depending on the season. So if changes in temperature and humidity are a particular issue or concern for you, engineered wood is a reliable choice for any room in your home. Another advantage of engineered wood floors is affordability. Because engineered wood uses less of the chosen wood than solid wood planks, you can have premium or exotic wood for your floors on a more affordable budget.
Unfinished Wood Advantages
If you go with unfinished wood, one of the benefits is that you have more options for how your new floor looks. For example, if you have a specific color paint in mind or want the color to match your old one, choosing an unfinished floor will ensure that it will be possible. The same goes if you have a particular stain applied before the final finish is put on.
Prefinished Wood Advantages
For prefinished wood, convenience and time are some of the biggest benefits. Since the finish is applied before leaving the factory, prefinished woods can make your flooring installation project go much quicker because the finish is already applied. You can also start walking around and using the room of your flooring installation much quicker than having to wait for an unfinished wood floor’s paint or finish to dry or smell to dissipate.
Choosing a Species of Wood
The last step of choosing between all types of wooden floors is deciding on the wood species to use. You have many options to choose from, although the best woods for flooring lean towards hardwoods. Here are some of the woods that make for suitable flooring:
- Oak is the most popular species for hardwood floors in the U.S., meeting a good balance between availability, hardness, cost, and color options.
- Maple is the second-most popular wood for flooring behind oak and comes in light colors and hues, a subtle grain, all while being harder than oak.
- Hickory is highly durable and features large knots and colors that vary substantially from board to board, well suited for rustic and country-styled homes.
