subject: Advantages Of The Different Types Of Hardwood Floors [print this page] Many people installing wood floors in Frisco homes are going to come across a very important choice during their shopping. The salesmen at the local flooring outlet or the contractors are going to ask whether you want solid wood, engineered wood or a laminate for your floor. If you have no idea what any of the above are, you are in no position to answer that question.
Laminate Wood
Laminate wood flooring is not really wood at all. Laminate is usually a stick on material, covered with a photographic rendition of real wood (or whatever the laminate is meant to simulate). The quality of the image is often very good, and the flooring is very cheap as opposed to real wood. Moisture and other elements can eventually cause laminate flooring to peel away, and corrosive cleaners will eventually wear away the finish; but in flooring as with everything else, you get what you pay for. If you want quality, or you are looking for real wood, this is definitely not the choice for you.
Engineered Wood
Engineered wood has advantages over solid wood, and also has disadvantages. Engineered wood is constructed like ply wood, with layers of wood alternating grain, pressure glued together. On top of the layers is a layer of real hard wood, ranging in thickness. The thicker the top layer, the more you can sand it and refinish it and the more you will pay for it. The biggest advantage over solid wood is that it can withstand moisture and temperature changes better due to the ply construction, so you can install it below grade or in more extreme climates. The disadvantage is that you cannot refinish more than 3 or 4 times, and it is best to leave the refinishing to professionals.
Solid Wood
Solid wood is exactly what it says, a solid piece of hardwood flooring all the way through. No special tricks here, just one piece of solid hard wood flooring. Solid wood and engineered flooring will look exactly the same. If you get a piece of white oak in each style, with the same stain and the same finish you would not be able to tell the difference from the top. Because of the nature of solid wood, it will react differently to moisture and temperature changes than engineered wood. Usually, this simply brings out the character of the wood, though major spills or radical changes in temperature could have undesired effects rarely. These floors can not be installed in basements or in places that are not temperature regulated. Because they are solid wood, they can be sanded down and refinished many more times than engineered floors.
Now that you have got a handle on what each type of floor is, you will be ready to make the choice when you are out looking at your flooring choices. Congratulations on choosing wood floors, they are long lasting and beautiful and will make your house more inviting. Now get out there and find the best wood floors Frisco can give you!
