Solid Hardwood vs Engineered Hardwood Flooring

• Whether to buy solid or engineered hardwood flooring will depend on the space where you are installing the floor. Both of them are available in various width and thickness. Solid hardwood floors are a single piece of hardwood consisting of planks or strips whereas engineered wood consists of many layers of wood with hardwood on top and plywood at the bottom. For areas that are more prone to moisture like the basement and the kitchen, you should choose engineered hardwood floor. Solid hardwood can be prefinished multiple times but engineered hardwood cannot be prefinished multiple times.

Pre-finished or Site Finished

• Prefinished options are factory-finished floors with sanding, staining, and coating. Once you buy them, you only need to install them. This is the best thing about this option. If you are planning to move, you can immediately move after the installation. On the other hand, for the site finished floors, finishing is completed on the site. The sanding, coating, and finishing are done on the site after the installation. If you are planning to choose the site finished option, the pre-finishing process will take some days. So, you have to wait until the process is completed.

Colors: Natural or Stained

• Wood species differ by density, texture, and color. The natural colors in hardwood are dark, light, and moderate. When you are buying, you should consider the natural colors and choose one that blends with your taste, preference, and needs. Consider dark colors if your space is well-lit. Examples of dark wood are mahogany and walnut. You can use light-colored hardwood like pine to brighten a space. They are good at hiding scratches. Examples of medium colored wood include oak and cherry. You should opt for a stained hardwood only if you can’t get it in natural form.

Grain Pattern

• Grain pattern differ in different types of wood species, and it also depends on how the wood is cut. You will find three types of grain in this respect, flat grain, curly grain and straight grain.

Your Lifestyle and the Needed Functionality of the Space

• You will find a plethora of hardwood flooring options in the market today. They are designed to match the needs, budget, and requirement of every home and business. When you are choosing a hardwood floor, you should consider your lifestyle and the amount of traffic. You should think about the daily traffic it will endure. And at the same time, you should learn about the density and hardness of different wood species. For a home with kids, pets or high traffic, handscraped, distressed or wire-brushed hardwood is the right choice. They can hide small scratches and dents more than other types. If you long to have a smooth finished hardwood floor, you should choose a denser option such as Brazilian Cherry or Domestic Oak coupled with a matte finish that will hold up better under heavy use.

Personal Decor Options

• Your individual choice, taste and interior décor of your home will play a major role in choosing the ideal hardwood floor for your space. You should take into account your cabinetry, trim work, furniture and walls, and paints to make sure the wood you choose compliments the design elements in your home. You should also find out what is trending currently. Make sure you choose floors that allow you to change or tweak the décor in the future without any limitations.

Your Budget Limits

• The budget is an important factor to consider for selecting the right flooring option. The budget of your flooring project will include many things, not just the per square foot price of the floor. You should consider the installation cost too. The space which you are considering for installation will influence your budget. Removal of the existing floor, handling of the furniture and other things should be considered. If you stay in an older home, it may require additional work to fix high or low spots in the subfloor.