3 MAIN HARDWOOD TYPES
We know how serious you are about getting Hardwood
Flooring in your home or office, and that's why it is important that you
know the key differences in each flooring type.
There are three basic types of hardwood flooring: Engineered, Solid and/or
Laminate wood flooring.
QUICK LINKS:
Solid Hardwood Flooring
Enginereed Hardwood Flooring
Laminate / Floating Flooring
Solid wood flooring is the traditional style of wood flooring. Solid
hardwoods are typically 3/4" or 19mm thick, although some do come
in 3/8" (10mm) or 5/16" (8mm) thicknesses.
This type of hardwood flooring can be installed with a nail-down installation
method over wood subfloors. Some types of this flooring can be stained
and finished to match your decor or preference.
Solid wood can be sanded and refinished many times to cover and conceal
scratches or imperfections. Initial Installation of solid wood requires
sanding, finishing and coating, a process that increases the time you
are displaced from your home or office.
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Rather than having one solid piece of hardwood, the engineered hardwood
method uses layers of hardwood veneer to create a product that can range
in thickness from 3/8" or 8mm up to 9/16" or 14mm thick, depending
on manufacturer.
In order to create an engineered hardwood, these veneer layers are stacked
one on top of the other with the grain of adjacent layers oriented perpendicular
to one other. Once the desired thickness is achieved, the boards are then
cut into the correct board width. From there, the boards are then manufactured
to have a tongue or groove on the edges.
The final step is to add stain if necessary, and add a finish. Engineered hardwood can be glued directly to concrete above or below grade, as opposed to solid hardwood which cannot.
Engineered flooring can still be sanded and re-finished, but not as often as a solid plank floor, due to a smaller wear layer.
The instalation time may be quick and you may have use of your room back faster rather than later.
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flooring is made to look like natural products such as wood flooring or natural stone, yet is made up of either synthetic materials (usually melamine resin) or of synthetic materials combined with natural and recycled ingredients and covered with an attached decorative applique including an aluminum oxide finish.
A popular alternative to other hard surface products, high-quality laminate flooring resists staining, wear, and fading much better than wood and natural stone while providing unique looks and appeal
.
