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Are you planning to have a flooring make-over? Choosing which type of floor to install is one of the most important factors to consider when remodeling your house, especially if you’re planning to raise its value. There are many options you can consider, such as epoxy, tiles, or carpets. However, one material stands among them, hardwood.
Hardwood can be considered the most well-known material when it comes to home flooring as it can provide an excellent level of comfortability to most homeowners.
However, not all hardwoods are created the same. You have to consider factors such as type of wood, color, patterns, and textures. These factors will depend on how you want your home to look like.
Before choosing your preferred design, you should know the types of hardwood flooring and which type will suit your lifestyle, budget, and preference.
What Are The Two Basic Kinds Of Hardwood Flooring?
- Solid Hardwood Flooring: These are floors made with solid wood planks and are made to last for a long time. However, it is pretty expensive and may be vulnerable to getting damaged due to humidity. Also, experts suggest sanding the floors every two to three years to extend its service life.
- Engineered Hardwood Flooring: Unlike its solid counterpart, this is less expensive and has better resistance to moisture and humidity, but it is not completely water-resistant. Engineered hardwood is made by combining a wood layer on top and a non-wood layer below, which is sometimes made with concrete or other synthetic materials.
What Are The Types Of Wood To Consider?
1. Oak Wood
Oak is the most common species used in flooring in America. There are two types of oak you would want to consider: red and white oak. In terms of appearance, red oak has a darker red color, while white oak has a light brown color.
So, here are some red and white oak flooring benefits you would want to consider:
- It has a natural color appearance
- It is stain-friendly
- It is durable
- It is easy to install and maintain
If you plan to make your home stand out among others, you might want to install white oak wood flooring over the red one. White oak wood floors have grey/brown undertone that gives them more character and unique look than red oak wood floors. You can also consider other hardwood materials with a higher hardness rating than oak, such as maple wood.
2. American Walnut
This type of wood is soft and has beautiful chocolate-like swirls of grain on its surfaces, making it one of the most stylish options you can choose. However, it is easily dented and scuffed and is not suitable for homes or other areas with high traffic, such as the kitchen.
3. Bamboo
Bamboo flooring is usually made from compressed strands of bamboo, unlike other types that are naturally from large trees cut into planks. It is only considered wood flooring because of its appearance.
However, bamboo flooring is two to three times harder than most natural wood types, more difficult to stain, and significantly cheaper. Bamboo floors may last a lifetime as long as it’s properly maintained and utilized.
Furthermore, bamboos grow easily and are mostly available, making them an eco-friendly alternative to other types. If you want an eco-friendly home, bamboo flooring is perfect for you.
4. Cherry
It is one of the most popular wood floorings, but it is also expensive due to its strikingly beautiful appearance. Also, it is versatile and has a light brown color with swirls of grains on the surface. However, it is highly sensitive to sunlight and may darken in the first few months after installation.
5. Maple
Maple is one of the favorite wood floorings due to its light color, visible grain patterns, and excellent hardness. This is perfect for those who have a contemporary style of home. Like bamboo, maple is also considered one of the sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to other wood species.
What Are The Factors To Consider?
- Humidity – You would want to consider how the wood will react to fluctuating moisture levels by checking its expansion and warping activities.
- Hardness – Wood floors are classified based on their hardness or Janka scale rating. You’ll likely hear it when you’re choosing which type of wood. Also, woods with a high rating would be less susceptible to denting and scuffing.
- Photosensitivity – This is the capability of wood to change color due to excessive exposure to sunlight. If you don’t want this to occur, choose wood with low photosensitivity, which means cherry wood flooring may be out of your choices.
Final Words
Choosing hardwood flooring is never an easy task due to its wide range of options. So, select what’s best for you and your family, and always base your decision depending on your lifestyle and activities.
For example, if your family is continuously expanding, you may want to use hardwood with a good hardness rating to facilitate the constant increase in traffic. Renting a dumpster is certainly something you’d want to consider for a flooring project, especially large ones.
Remember, hardwood flooring is made to last for several decades. So, make sure that you have planned everything carefully before you decide.
