The different kinds of hardwood floors and the differences between them. Which is the best for different circumstances.
Hardwood floors are extremely popular today, both in homes and in offices. If you look around, you will find that hardwood floors are being installed in every kind of structure, and if a home doesn't already have them, the owners will probably add them. The reason for this is the innate quality of hardwood floors to add beauty where ever they are, while being easy to care for and very durable.
If you think about the hardwood floor you are standing on, you may think about exactly where it originated. Picture that tree leaving the forest and ending up in one of your rooms, adding warmth and a certain elegance not found in other materials. Hardwood floors almost add personality to a room because of their alive nature. Besides being beautiful, studies have shown that hardwood floors add to the resale value of a home. And why not? A beautiful, easy to care for, long lasting, natural material that is safe for your home and your family; this combination can't be beat.
The main types of hardwood floors are solid, engineered and laminate.
Solid wood floors are placed directly upon the concrete base when the floor is at ground level or above. There is strip flooring, plank flooring and parquet flooring. Strip flooring is nailed directly to the sub-floor by the use of 2 1/4 inch wide strips. Plank flooring is nailed to the sub-floor with screws which are then covered with wooden plugs. Parquet flooring is separate blocks of individual squares of wood that are place on the floor in a prearranged pattern.
Engineered hardwood floors are manufactured from a composite that is several layers of wood. They may be different grades of the same tree wood, with the best grade on top, and all of the layers glued in a manufactured process using heat and extreme pressure. The benefit of engineered wood is the it it not as subject to temperature and humidity and therefore can be used below ground level, whereas solid wood should only be used above.
Wood laminate floors are comprised of a plywood base with a veneer on top. The plywood is usually 3/8th inch three ply for strength. The top layer is sanded and finished three times for the best look.
