hat kind of hardwood floor should you use?
Hardwood flooring comes in many different styles, colors, species and construction types.
In this section we will discuss the two basic construction types, as well as the unique
benefits and drawbacks each has to offer.
Solid Hardwood Flooring
The first obvious and most basic of the construction types is Solid hardwood.
Solid hardwood is exactly what the name implies; a solid piece of milled hardwood flooring.
This can come in various widths and thickness the most common being 3/4 inch thickness. When we
think of solid hardwood usually it is this type. However solid hardwood can come in 3/8in, 5/16in
and even 7/16in.
7/16in thick hardwood is know commonly as thin strip and is mostly used where a 3/4in product would
interfere with moldings, doors and other fixtures. Solid hardwood requires a plywood or OSB substrate
and must be nailed or stapled down. If you have a concrete slab as your sub floor you may not use 3/4in
solid wood however you may be able to use the 3/8in, 5/16in or 7/16in thin strip solids in a glue down
installation. However check with a professional installer beforehand to make sure that these types can
be used for your project.
Due to the facts of moisture transference and density, solid hardwood flooring is best used only in nail
down or staple down installation where a proper moisture barrier is used. Solid hardwood flooring can be
sanded and refinished numerous times over the lifetime of the floor and if properly maintained will last
for hundreds of years. This feature makes solid wood flooring one of the most cost effective floor types
you can buy. Solid hardwood adds style, class and resale value to any home. If you are planning on living
in your home for many years this is the best and most obvious choice. Solid hardwood comes in pre-finished
format and unfinished format. We will discuss the differences in the next chapter.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
The next type of hardwood flooring that we will discuss is Engineered Hardwood
Flooring. This type of flooring seems to cause the most confusion amongst consumers as to just what it is.
In the simplest terms engineered hardwood is a veneer of real wood called the wear layer usually between 2 to 3.5 mm
in thickness that is sliced or sawn from a piece of actual solid hardwood blanks and then laminated or glued
(this DOES NOT make it a laminate floor) to a backing made of various materials such as plywood,
or other cheaper materials. These materials are laid in a crossing pattern in ply's, usually 3 or 5 ply's are used,
and this adds stability to the floor board (see illustration).
SOLID vs. Engineered Manufacturing Method
Construction Method
Many people confuse engineered with laminate flooring but this is wrong. Engineered wood flooring is a real piece of
hardwood and can be sanded or screened and refinished. Engineered hardwood floors are an ideal alternative for people
who like the look and feel of hardwood but have a concrete slab as a sub-floor or want to have hardwood in their
basement. They are often less expensive than solid hardwood products which also can make them ideal for the budget
conscious consumer. Engineered wood floors come in the same basic widths and thicknesses as solid hardwood with 9/16in
being a standard in the industry but there are also plenty of 3/8in, 5/16in and even 3/4in engineered. In addition to
Plank style engineered also comes in Strip style and this when an individual floor
board, usually 6-7 inches in width is made up of 2 to 4 strip pieces allowing for an easier installation of the flooring.
Engineered flooring is incredibly versatile and can be installed anywhere solid hardwood can be installed. It can be
glued, nailed or stapled and today some engineered hardwood floors even feature a "snap" or "click"
lock tongue and groove that allows for even easier floating installations.
Solid Parquet Floor - 3/4" & less - Unfinished / Prefinished / Impregnated
Engineered Floor - Strip, Plank, Parquet - Multi-ply - Unfinished / Prefinished
Solid Plank Floor - 3/4" X 3" and up - Unfinished / Prefinished
Solid Strip Floor - T & G up to 3/4" X up to 3 1/4" - Unfinished / Prefinished
5/16" X Up to 2"
Solid Strip Construction
Engineered Strip Construction
Interesting in something other than Hardwood?
Laminate Flooring
Bamboo Flooring
Cork Flooring
Tile Flooring
Vinyl Flooring
Area Rugs
