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Hardwood
Your choices in hardwood flooring
It’s hard to match hardwood for its timeless elegance, and homeowners often still choose it over other flooring options. Not only does it match nearly any décor, it has a long lifespan, which means you won’t need to replace it often.
The two most well-known types of hardwood are solid and engineered. Each has its own set of pros and cons. Because of this, it is likely that one will be more suitable for you than the other will. With that in mind, we are going to take a look at the two: Solid Hardwood and Engineered Hardwood Flooring.
The two most well-known types of hardwood are solid and engineered. Each has its own set of pros and cons. Because of this, it is likely that one will be more suitable for you than the other will. With that in mind, we are going to take a look at the two: Solid Hardwood and Engineered Hardwood Flooring.
Solid hardwood flooring
Solid hardwood is true to its name in that it is constructed from solid wood, from the same species, whether it be oak, hickory, cherry, or some other species. Species can include both domestic as well as exotic woods, and you can find them prefinished, or you can choose to have them unfinished.
A standard solid hardwood plank is usually ¾ of an inch thick. This gives plenty of room for refinishing. In fact, most hardwood floors can be refinished about seven or eight times before needing to be replaced completely. This lends to their extra long lifespan.
It is important to know that hardwood both contracts and expands based on the humidity and temperature. Because of this, it is not advised to be used in basements.
A standard solid hardwood plank is usually ¾ of an inch thick. This gives plenty of room for refinishing. In fact, most hardwood floors can be refinished about seven or eight times before needing to be replaced completely. This lends to their extra long lifespan.
It is important to know that hardwood both contracts and expands based on the humidity and temperature. Because of this, it is not advised to be used in basements.
Engineered hardwood flooring
Engineered flooring is manufactured by bonding several layers together to form one single plank. It is very stable because the plies are stacked in alternating directions. The layers on the inside are comprised of plywood, hardwood and fiberboard, while the top layer is your desired species of wood.
Neither humidity nor moisture affects engineered hardwood the way it does solid hardwood and it is cheaper than solid wood as well. You can install engineered wood over many different types of subflooring. However, it cannot be resanded as often as solid hardwood can. In fact, if the veneer is less than 2mm thick, or if it is hand scraped, it cannot be refinished at all.
Neither humidity nor moisture affects engineered hardwood the way it does solid hardwood and it is cheaper than solid wood as well. You can install engineered wood over many different types of subflooring. However, it cannot be resanded as often as solid hardwood can. In fact, if the veneer is less than 2mm thick, or if it is hand scraped, it cannot be refinished at all.
Deciding which hardwood is right for your home
In approaching the question of which wood is best for your home, you should begin with the demands of your household. Do you have pets? Are their children in the home? Do you have primarily high or low traffic areas? How long do you intend to have hardwood floors in your home? Each of these questions and more will help you determine which floor is better for you.
Let us help you find your hardwood
At DJ Floors, we want to make sure you have the perfect floors in your home. If you live in the Elkridge, Ellicott City, Columbia, Washington DC, or Potomac areas, visit our showroom in Elkridge, MD to see our hardwood choices in flooring.
