A Guide to Wood Flooring
If you have taken a trip to any flooring store recently, you may have noticed that they not only have one type of hardwood-look flooring...but five! Each type of wood-look floor has its own unique characteristics. Today, I wanted to share with you the different types of wood-look flooring options available. These include solid hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl plank, laminate, and tile.
Solid Hardwood Floors
First, I want to discuss the classic Solid Hardwood floor. Solid Hardwood floors are usually between ⅝ to ¾ inch thick. This allows for the flooring to be sanded and stained multiple times. An important trait to note is that Solid Hardwood floors are susceptible to moisture. Solid Hardwood floors come in many different species, but I recommend white oak and hickory due to their hardness and color.
Engineered Hardwood
The second type of hard wood flooring I recommend is Engineered Hardwood. Engineered Hardwood flooring is created by gluing a real wood veneer to a core with several layers running in opposite grains of one another. This creates strength and prevents expansion and contraction during extreme temperature changes. During factory production, they finish the product with an aluminum oxide finish to make the product more scratch resistant than real wood, making it more durable than traditional solid hardwood flooring. It comes in numerous plank sizes, as well as color finishes.
Luxury Vinyl Plank
If a waterproof floor is a better fit for your family, I recommend Luxury Vinyl Plank or tile flooring. Luxury Vinyl floors are created from layering flexible PVC with a durable attached backing and an aluminum oxide protective surface. Luxury Vinyl is easy to maintain and clean, is comfortable to walk on, and is stain resistant. This product is also very DIY friendly because it is considered a “floating installation” meaning it is not permanently attached to the substrate. LVP can be easily removed and changed out if desired. It can be an amazingly durable and low maintenance alternative to Solid Hardwood floors in your home!
Laminate
The next flooring type I would like to discuss is Laminate flooring. Laminate is made from synthetic materials with a thicker, inner core, making it comfortable to walk on. There is also a pad that can go underneath laminate. This core layer is then topped with the image layer, giving your flooring it’s pattern and texture, and then topped with a protective layer of aluminum oxide, again for added durability. An important note - Laminate flooring is not waterproof, and only some varieties are water-resistant up to 72 hours.
Wood-Look Tile
Lastly, wood-look tile is a great alternative to traditional wood flooring due to its affordability and durability. This product is produced of either porcelain or ceramic materials. Porcelain wood-look tiles are recommended for exterior applications, as they can endure the extreme temperature changes better than ceramics. There are smooth options and options with a hyper realistic texture. Rather than pricing tile based upon species, like wood, tile price is more determined across different styles and sizes. This way you don’t have to sacrifice overall look for price. If cleanliness is your concern, Wood-Look Tile can be easily mopped and steam cleaned. Additionally, tile is one of the most durable flooring surfaces you can select, meaning the floor will look amazing for years to come.
My team and I would love to help you select the perfect wood flooring for your home!