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| Searching
for the perfect hardwood floor can be a very complicated
process, especially if you are not informed about the
many types of products that are available. Whether
you are replacing an old, damaged hardwood floor, laying
a new floor over plywood or concrete, or looking for
a more economical "floating floor", this is
the page to start your journey. |
| SOLID v.
ENGINEERED: First, perhaps the most important decision
is WHERE in your house do you plan on installing the
hardwood floor? Solid Hardwood must only be installed
on a plywood subfloor at or above ground level. If
you are looking to install a hardwood floor directly
to a cement slab, below ground level, or in a humid location,
you should consider an Engineered Hardwood floor. An
important note is that engineered floors can also be
installed on plywood, or above ground, however we recommend
installing a solid hardwood floor whenever possible. |
| Engineered
hardwood flooring |
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What is engineered
hardwood flooring? To understand this product,
it is important to understand about hardwood in general. Solid
Hardwood, as you may already understand, must be nailed
directly into a wood subfloor, such as plywood or 2"x6" lumber
over joists. Nowadays, many homes lie over a cement
slab. In order to install a solid hardwood floor
on a cement slab, it is necessary to seal the slab and
install a plywood subfloor onto the slab (by hammering
nails through the wood into the cement). Not only
is this expensive and time consuming, but also adds the
the thickness of the floor, raising it 1/2" or 3/4" higher
than the rest of the house, not even counting the thickness
of the hardwood which will be installed shortly thereafter.
Wood Manufacturers have created a product which eliminates the need
to lay a plywood subfloor. Called Engineered Flooring, the
product is made of multiple layers of a plywood base, with a hardwood
veneer top layer. The wood veneer and all the layers of plywood
base are glued and dried under extreme pressure to ensure a strong
bond. This product, a hybrid of plywood and hardwood, can now be
glued directly to the cement slab. There is no need to install
a plywood subfloor, saving time and money! |
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| Ok, now
that you have selected between solid and engineered hardwood,
you should choose the width of the strips/planks you
are looking for. Wood greater than 2-1/4" wide
is typically referred to as Plank flooring, whereas wood
equal to or less than 2-1/4" wide is typically referred
to as Strip flooring. Most homes have 2" or
2-1/4" strip flooring, although plank flooring was
a popular choice in the 60s and 70s, and continues its
resurgence today! |
| The next
step is to pick a species of wood. Do you prefer
the traditional elegance of oak? Is the natural
blonde color of maple appealing to you? There are
dozens of hardwood and softwood flooring options out
there, even though 99% of all homes have oak flooring. Picking
out a species also involves considering which species
is more dense (able to resist denting), which accepts
a stain better (if you plan of applying a stain), and
which is easier to sand and maintain. A sales representative
can assist you with this daunting task. |
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What
is laminate flooring? Laminate is a floating
floor product, which means that the floor itself does
not get nailed or glued down, but the panels are glued
side by side like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Laminate flooring is a plank type floor, constructed of different
layers. Usually, the top layer or "wear layer" is clear.
It is a low or high density laminate, depending on the manufacturer
and style -- similar to a counter top laminate. Although
it is similar to a counter top laminate, it is, in most cases,
anywhere from 10% to 40% stronger than counter tops, and more resistant
to scratches, burns, chipping, dents, etc.
The second layer is usually the design or decorative layer which
gives it the unique look of wood, or in some cases, tile flooring.
Some laminate floor manufacturers add a third or "base" layer
for greater stability. All of these layers are fused by heat
and pressure to a high density core. Some cores are constructed
of high density fiber, and some are constructed of wood particles. Most
of the better laminate products also fit together very tightly,
so there are less joints than there would be with a wood floor.
Most of the manufacturers apply some type of backing to the boards.
This backing acts as added stability as well as added protection
against moisture.
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