There is nothing more alluring and elegant in the flooring world than the look and feel of genuine hardwood flooring. Though more expensive than laminate flooring or tiles, if you are looking for the genuine article then hardwood is the way to go.
What are the Different Types of Hardwood Flooring?
Hardwood flooring comes in two different types – Solid hardwood & Engineered hardwood. Solid hardword can also be broken down into traditional solid hardwood and prefinished hardwood.
Traditional solid hardwood: Like the name suggests this is the traditional way of doing hardwood flooring. All natural hardwood through the whole thickness of the floor (as opposed to engineered hardwood – see below. Finishing takes place on site – which has the downside of the mess, smells and time taken to install.
Prefinished Hardwood Flooring: Like traditional solid hardwood, the prefinished variety is solid hardwood through and through. However, as the name suggests the wood is prefinished off site. The main advantages to this is that you don’t get the mess and smells associated with onsite finishing plus the installation on site is much quicker.
A lot of prefinished hardwood has also been UV treated to protect against fading caused by the sun.
Engineered Hardwood: Engineered hardwood flooring is made up of a couple of layers. The core layer is engineered wood such as plywood or HDF and has a top layer of natural hardwood. This gives you the beauty and elegance of the natural wood but has the advantage of being more stable, particularly in environments where the heat and moisture levels can change a lot. This can save money on restoration costs as engineered hardwood won’t contract and expand like solid hardwood can.
What are the Benefits of Hardwood Flooring?
Apart from the already mentioned look and feel, hardwood floors are the healthier choice over carpet, particularly for those with dust and dander allergies. Dust and dander can be trapped in carpet and released into the air causing those with allergies to be affected. This is not an issue with hardwood floors as there is nowhere for this dust and dander to get trapped.
The hardwood that is best for you will depend on your circumstances and budget. There are different benefits for each type of hardwood.
Hardwood Flooring Installation
Our experienced professional installers take great pride in their work when installing hardwood floors. Contact us today to discuss your options in more detail or to get a quote.