Hardwood Flooring Types
There are two major types of hardwood flooring available, solid and engineered. Solid hardwood floors originated first. Many years ago solid hardwood was used for structural purposes. It was installed perpendicular to wooden support beams of a building to for added strength. Now with modern day construction, solid hardwood is primarily used for its appearance. It comes in a wide range of styles and dimensions. Strip flooring, plank flooring and parquet flooring are styles to choose from. Strip flooring has a thickness that varies between 5/16 inch and ¾ inch and widths are 1.5 inch to 2.25 inch. Plank flooring has similar thickness as strip flooring and widths of 3 inches up to 8 inches. Parquet flooring are tile sections of solid hardwood that has geometrical patterns. This type flooring is manufactured with wood slats.
Engineered wood flooring is the other type of hardwood flooring available. With exceptions of North America, it is the most common type of wood floor used around the world. Engineered wood flooring is made up of three to seven layers of wood crossed stacked, glued and laminated under high pressure and heat. This process creates a material that resists moisture and humidity. With this feature, we can say that it is the better choice for kitchens, basements and over concrete floors. Many has decided on engineered wood flooring because of its versatility to be used in any room. Many styles and colors have surfaced which make it look identical to solid hardwood flooring, with minimal cost difference between the two.
When deciding between engineered and solid hardwood flooring, make sure careful considerations are made. Don’t let your budget be the determining factor. It is best to consider the rooms that you will be having the flooring installed. If you have children or pets, you may want to consider the durability factor that comes with engineered flooring. Engineered flooring is also more environmentally friendly than solid wood floors. When talking green, the sub surface layers of engineered wood are made from scrape wood. This process saves more forests in which trees of the ornamental wood can go further than when manufacturing solid wood flooring. Many people lean toward solid hardwood flooring because it can be refinished more times than engineered flooring, so this flooring type lasts longer.
