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Flooring comes in a variety of materials such as vinyl, ceramic, and plastic. Wooden flooring is perhaps the most common and widely used type of flooring due to the natural allure of wood; its warmth as well as timeless natural beauty. It is no wonder that you will find other types of flooring material mimicking wood to offer low costs substitutes for wood.
Hardwood is the best materials used for flooring due to its numerous benefits, which include longevity and natural beauty. Here are the different types of hardwood floors that are commonly used in most home improvement and new projects.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwood is available in three types:
- Strip Flooring – Where the thickness and width of the wood is what defines it. This type is very popular in most home design projects and is available in various thicknesses. The width however remains the same.
- Plank Flooring – This one comes in two thicknesses and a varying width. Its thickness is only in ½ inch and ¾ inch, and its width varies between 3 and 8 inches.
- Parquet Flooring – These look very different from the previous two types, as they have a unique geometric pattern that is made by holding individual wood slats together.
Tip: Solid hardwood is best used for floors that you would like to refinish and in rooms with controlled humidity and temperature.
Trick: Install in above grade or over approved wooden subfloors.
Engineered Hardwood
This is hardwood that consists of three or more wood layers glued together to form planks with a top layer that is made of a thin solid wood veneer. This type of construction makes it more dimensionally stable as compared to solid hardwood. Note that there is a difference between engineered hardwood and laminated flooring, as laminated flooring does not contain any wood in it. This type of hardwood provides resistance to the expansion and contraction that is associated with most woods.
Tip: Engineered hardwood is bets used in floors of any level in the home, as well as in rooms that require stable flooring and that can accommodate multiple options of installation.
Trick: Use on a variety of subfloor types and also on any level.
Other Variations
These two are the main types of hardwood floors that you will always find in a lumber store. You will also find two other variations of these two types, which are the pre-finished and the unfinished types. They both offer great flooring options but at different comfort and style levels.
