Knowing Where To Start Makes The Difference
When it comes to hard-surface flooring, there are literally thousands of options at your disposal. You’ll want to start by determining which type of hard-surface flooring you want:
- Solid Hardwood Flooring
- Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Getting The Perfect Look & Feel
Knowing the construction type for your hardwood floor will allow you to narrow down your selections when it comes to selecting the look and feel of your floor. You’ll want to start by selecting a species:
- Domestic and Exotic Wood Species – From American White Oak to Brazilian Walnut there are a multitude of styles to choose from when it comes to picking the perfect species for your wood floor. When you are selecting your species, you’ll want to keep the following factors in mind to help you with your selection:
- Appearance
- Color
- Grain
- Grade
- Cuts
- Properties
- Hardness (Janka Scale)
- Dimensional Stability
- Durability
- Workability
- Sawing / Machining
- Sanding
- Nailing
- Finishing
- Cost
- Availability
Proper Installation Methods Save Headaches and Money Later
Keep in mind that different hardwood flooring construction types and species provide different installation process options, such as:
- Nail-Down Flooring (With Subfloor)
- Parquetry
- Glue-Down Flooring
- Lay-Down / Floating Flooring
Learn More about Flooring Installation Methods.
You’ll Gain Longer Floor Lifetimes With The Right Finishing Process
After it’s been installed, your floor will need to have the best protection possible against spills, high-heel shoes, kids, pets, plumbing disasters, humidity (or lack thereof), the list goes on. Utilizing the right finishing process will maximize your floor’s life expectancy. The most common finish options are:
- Sand & Finish In-Place
- Hand-scraped / Distressed Flooring
- Pre-Finished / Factory Finished
