Hardwood flooring brings a richness and warmth to a room that cannot be matched by carpet, vinyl, or linoleum. It provides a durable surface that will hold up well over time with little maintenance. To ensure you install the proper hardwood, it’s important to examine the different types of hardwood floors. Consider factors such as floor construction, wood species, finish, and color, as these choices will greatly affect the appearance and performance of the floor. Deciding on the type of environment you want in the room will also help you choose the hardwood floor that best fits your needs.
Understanding the Different Types of Hardwood Flooring
First, hardwood floors come in three different construction options: solid, engineered, and longstrip.
Solid Wood Floors are quite common and have been installed in many homes for years. Most solid hardwood floors are 3/4″ thick and come in 2 ¼” strips. The solid wood planks are cut directly from a tree and then manufactured into planks with tongue and groove ends. Sometimes, the solid floors are finished in the factory, while others are left unfinished for the buyer to seal and stain.
Because solid wood is susceptible to water damage, it is not recommended for use in basements or for installation over a concrete subfloor. They can, however, be installed on the ground level or any level above. The most commonly used solid wood species are maple, ash, red oak, and white oak, but other exotic species are also available. Among these, maple and white oak are the hardest, and hardness can be equated to a floor’s ability to resist denting or chipping under pressure.
Engineered Wood Floors (which are different from laminate flooring) are thin sheets of wood, known as veneers, that are pressed, heated, and glued together to form a single plank. The thickness of these floors can range from ¼” to 9/16″, and their width ranges from 2 ¼” to 7″. When engineered floors are made, three to seven veneers are stacked on top of each other, with each veneer layer placed in opposite directions. This cross-ply construction helps make the engineered wood resistant to expansion and contraction, as wood tends to expand in one direction. Because of this construction, the finished plank is dimensionally stable and can be used on concrete slabs or in basements. Additionally, the top layer of wood can be made from any wood species and will be less expensive than a solid wood plank from the same species. Engineered floors can be nailed down, stapled, glued, or floated, and are all prefinished by the manufacturer.
Longstrip Wood Floors are very similar to engineered floors but are made of only three layers. The center layer is a softer wood, which is manufactured with tongue and groove edges. A chosen wood species is glued over the top of the softer core (usually a harder wood), and another softer wood layer is glued onto the bottom. The top layer is made of smaller wood planks laid three strips wide and 17 to 18 strips long (hence the name “longstrip”). One piece of longstrip is usually 7 ½” wide and 86” long.
Longstrip wood floors take less time to install because they come as larger pieces. Like engineered floors, they are stable and can be placed in basements or over concrete subfloors. They can also be used over radiant heat systems. With tongue and groove construction, most longstrips can be installed as floating floors (without glue, nails, or staples), although they can be glued or stapled if necessary. Longstrip floors are finished by the manufacturer.
Quite recently, manufacturers of hardwood floors have developed a way to apply extremely durable urethane finishes at the factory. They use ultraviolet lights to apply multiple coats of urethane very quickly, and some companies have started adding aluminum oxide to the floors to extend the life of the finish. The result is a high-quality, heavy-duty finish. For customers who desire a custom stained hardwood floor, unfinished floors are an option. These must be sanded, stained, and finished after installation. Water-based, oil-based, or moisture-cured urethane finishes can be applied, each in a variety of colors.
Different types of hardwood floors will influence the atmosphere of a room. For example, pine flooring (one of the softest hardwood floors) may be best suited for a cabin or cottage as it gives a rustic, rugged look. Oak flooring, being much harder (and more expensive), provides a more elegant and refined appearance. There are over twenty types of wood species to choose from, so consider factors such as hardness, cost, and the desired ambiance of the room before placing an order.
