Wood Flooring Types
This guide is arranged to help answer numerous important questions you should know regarding the purchase of a hardwood floor. You will know more about the different characteristics of different types of products and will be better prepared to make the right choice.
You will purchase a hardwood floor perhaps only once in your life, so it is important to be well informed. There are also additional in information as the alternative in choosing ‘real’ hardwood flooring.
SOLID HARDWOOD
As the name suggests, these floors consist of solid tongue-and-groove planks, cut from various species of wood, to a range of sizes. Because these floors use a great deal of wood, it is important to ensure you are purchasing from an environmentally sustainable source. Most people recognize quality of solid hardwood. They are more prepared to go with what they perceive as a better quality building material. The types are more often used in construction with wood subfloors or those built with floor joist systems.
Installation demands nailing and stapling with proper hardwood flooring tools. It comes in assortment of widths, from 2-1/4″ to 5″ wide. The most common selected solid hardwood is still the traditional 2 1/4″ width, also known as strip flooring. It also comes in variant thicknesses: 3/4″ is standard, but you can also find ‘thin profile’ solid that is 5/16″ thick. If you are seeking appearance and more of a traditional look, most 3/4″ solids offer longer lengths with the exception being many imported Chinese hardwoods today.
Some have specifications calling for 12 to 48 inch lengths only. 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 this is expensive and time consuming, but also adds to 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.
Solid wood floors can be sanded and refinished over several generations of use and are installed on a concrete slab as long as the floor is on or above ground level.
PREFINNISHED FLOORING
A pre-finish, or factory finish, creates a no muss and fuss installation. There is no dust from sanding, no smokes from chemicals, no waiting for the finish to dry. It refers to a floor made of solid hardwood strips that have been sanded and secured by a finish that is given and cured by ultraviolet light under ideal conditions in a factory. These floors are guaranteed to last long typically 15 to 25 years.
Most urethanes applied in the factory also contain ingredients that reduce changes in the color of the finish as much aspossible. All there is to installing the floor is carefully nailing it in, often time very easy for the people to do. Factory finished floors have advantage of letting you to easily match-up natural colors in the wood strips as you install them.
Its original purchase price is higher than that of a unfinished hardwood floor but its overall cost is generally less, considering the costs of sanding and finishing a traditional floor. In addition, a traditional solid hardwood floor or a prefinished hardwood floor will increase value to your house. It is excellent value for the money and one of the best choices among dissimilar types of flooring.
ENGINEERED HARDWOOD
Wood Manufacturers have created a product which eliminates the need to lay a plywood subfloor. Engineered wood is real wood, but instead of one solid piece it consists of three to 10 thin layers of wood, called plies, that are assembled and glued in a cross-ply construction. Engineered hardwood floor is one whose top surface is made of hardwood.
The top layer of wood can range from 1/16″ to 1/6″ thick. Overall board thickness ranges from 1/4″ to 3/4″. 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, of course it is saving time and money!. Engineered wood is less likely to be affected by humidity fluctuations. Being more stable, engineered floors are often time used with radiant heat and in areas where the relative humidity is higher than usual.
This property makes engineered wood ideal for kitchens and bathrooms, and allows it to be fitted with confidence above underfloor heating pipes. It can be installed above, on or below ground level and is made of several layers of different woods or grades of the same wood stacked and glued under heat and pressure. Depending on the thickness of the top layer, some engineered wood can be sanded. The purchase price of most engineered hardwood flooring is generally much higher than that of refinished solid hardwood flooring.
BAMBOO FLOORING
Bamboo is one of the rapidest growing plants on Earth making it an ecologically sound choice in flooring. Bamboo is actually a kind of grass and has an extended root system that creates new bamboo shoots and requires no replanting. Though Bamboo floors can be as hard as Maple, there are no known values set for its hardness. As it is said, they will still dent, ding or scratches like any other wood. Bamboo is a very dense grass product and should be treated just like a fine piece of furniture.
Bamboo is a comparatively new on the flooring market. It is a timber alternative that you can install yourself if you’re feeling handy. There are pros and cons about this type. First of the pros, Bamboo is a renewable resource that grows more quickly than timber. It has high abrasion resistance and low allergenic. Then, it is stable under both humid and dry conditions, also does not react to water as do some timbers.
Lastly, it is easy to repair – damaged boards can be replaced without contrasting with surrounding boards. Still there are negative sides of it. It is actually new to the market so long-term wear has not been tested and it fades in direct sunlight.
LAMINATED FLOORING
Laminate flooring does not really contain any solid wood; it is in fact made with a paper layer that is printed with a high-resolution photograph of wood. Since it is a photograph, the wood-imitation pattern is repeated from one panel to the next. The base of this flooring consists of MDF (medium density fibre) and HDF (high density fibre) which are made of a mixture of sawdust and glue compressed to different levels.
A moisture-resistant sheet is then positioned on the underside and a hard-wearing clear topcoat of resin (melamine and aluminum oxide) is placed on the top. Laminate flooring is typically constructed with a high density fiber board core, sandwiched between a melamine laminate backing, high quality photographic paper with an image of wood and a ceramic finish, abrasion resistant laminate top.
The ultra-realistic image is a highly detailed, high-resolution photograph of the genuine material. The design is protected by an easy to clean surface that resists spills and protects the floor from stains, fading or wear. Realistic embossing creates surface textures that enhance the design. The result is a floor that looks like the original design inspiration, with a different construction that gives you options in budget, installation, performance Laminate allows you to get the look and feel of rare, exotic wood or expensive stone at a fraction of the cost, with no natural material drawbacks.
It has uncanny ability to visually replicate the look of woodand maintenance. The installation is called floating because no nails or glue hold the floor to the subfloor. A sublayer of Styrofoam must be installed between the subfloor and the product.
This is easy to install, it is matter of putting glue into the panel mortises and assembling it. Some of today’s floating floors do not even need glue, their panels are snapped together. Laminate can be used in any room of the house, below, on or above grade level. Laminate floors do have some sensitivity to excessive moisture, so if you plan on using laminate in a bathroom, you’ll need to take special precautions.
Brands include Dream Home, with warranties from 10 to 25 years, as well as St. James with a 30 year warranty. It is comparatively economical, depending on the desired quality.
VINYL FLOORING
Vinyl can replicate both the look and texture of natural materials such as hardwood, thanks to state-of-the-art printing and embossing. Vinyl can also convey original graphic designs that range from traditional to contemporary. Vinyl can be used anywhere in your home. It’s a good choice for high traffic areas such as playrooms, and wet areas including bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms. It can be installed below grade level, making it a good choice for basements.
Vinyl requires a minimum of maintenance. Its soft, cushy feel is easy to stand on, kind to backs and knees, and forgiving when objects are dropped. Best of all, vinyl is one of the most economical flooring choices you can make for your home.
Choosing a floor is a wise investment. Hopefully this guide has helped you choose a floor that is best suitable for you.
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