While there are dozens of ways to alter the interior of your home, changing your flooring can have a dramatic effect. Hardwood flooring is by far the most popular style found in homes today, and it’s an investment you need to consider carefully.
Choosing the right type of flooring can significantly increase the value of your home, but the wrong type of hardwood can leave you with an expensive problem. Considering there are dozens of domestic and exotic species to choose from, navigating the world of hardwood flooring is going to be difficult when you don’t know where to begin.
With that in mind, our hardwood flooring buying guide was created to help consumers find the right hardwood for their homes. We’re going to cover all the important areas you should consider before settling on a style, and we’ll even tell you where to purchase some of the best hardwood flooring.
Pros and Cons of Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring and paint are two things that can change the entire look of a room. While there’s plenty of prep work with paint, it’s a whole different ballgame when you have to rip up carpet or level a floor for hardwood. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this sturdy type of flooring.
Hardwood Flooring Pros
Solid hardwood flooring can increase the value of your home while bringing a whole new look to any room. It adds warmth to a room, and unless you choose a colored finish, it provides you with a fairly
High-quality hardwood can outlast vinyl and carpet as well. You can refinish or sand solid hardwood planks and some forms of engineered flooring if the wear layer is thick enough. Solid Oak and Pine flooring has held up for hundreds of years whereas even the best stainproof carpet is unlikely to last more than a decade.
Do you have allergies? Well, a new hardwood floor can save you a lot of headaches – literally. It’s easier to clean than most styles of flooring and can be easier to replace if you do have an issue. There are kits designed to fix dents and chips in hardwood, and you may be able to replace single planks depending on how the flooring is installed.
Hardwood Flooring Cons
If you own large dogs with or cats with sharp claws, hardwood floors can be an issue. They will scratch, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the finish and color if you own pets. Some shades hide those problems better than others.
While hardwood floors are durable, traction can be an issue with pets as well. They can also be cold and unforgiving on your feet if you’re used to walking across plush carpeted floors. Cost can be an issue although that depends on the style and species of flooring you choose. Overall, hardwood is higher than other types of flooring but can be cheaper than carpeting or tile.
Moisture is probably the biggest problem with wood flooring as a flood can warp those boards quickly. Some forms can handle it better than others, but solid hardwood is generally not a great idea in a basement or even bathrooms. There are products rated for below-grade rooms; however, and engineered products are often found in bathrooms.
Solid Hardwood vs. Engineered Flooring
Thanks to advances in printing and manufacturing, you can find vinyl flooring or laminates that look like real wood. When you want real hardwood flooring, you only have two choices with Solid Hardwood and Engineered Wood.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring – Whenever you see a product labeled as engineered, think of the layers on a cake. The outer or top layer of an engineered plank has a thin “slice” of natural wood, and the middle is a core that’s usually plywood or MDF, a medium-density fiberboard. The bottom layer is also wood although there are a few variants on this combination.
Most engineered flooring comes prefinished with several layers of coating. You can lightly sand boards a few times with some brands, and they are much easier to install overall. Engineered planks are also more stable and less prone to expansion and contraction from humidity.
Solid Hardwood Flooring – Solid hardwood flooring is made from one piece of wood and built to last decades. It’s ideal for rooms that get a lot of foot traffic, but not a great choice for basements. It’s not as stable as engineered products in that regard, but you can sand it numerous times regardless of species or brand.
You will need to nail or staple solid hardwood flooring which makes it not as user-friendly as engineered flooring. You can purchase this flooring prefinished or unfinished, and it’s the best choice if you want durable flooring that your grandchildren and their grandchildren can enjoy.
Hardwood Flooring Buying Guide
Once you know what to expect from hardwood flooring, it’s time to take a look at the species, finishes and some of the more popular brands. Most of these species are available in solid and engineered form although the latter can be difficult to come by with some types of wood.
Common Types of Hardwood Flooring
Domestic species that come from the United States are prevalent and popular with a few exceptions. That means they are more affordable than hardwoods from Brazil and other regions and easier to find. They aren’t quite as durable, however, and the selection is somewhat limited compared to important products.
