Homeowners have two types of Wood Flooring to choose from. They are solid wood and engineered wood. Solid wood is made up of a single piece of wood. It can be dark cherry, light oak or any of the dozens of types of wood available. It is usually 3/4 of an inch thick. Because of this thickness, it can be sanded and refinished many times. Because it is solid wood it absorbs moisture easily. Therefore, it should be installed at or above grade. It is not recommended for basements or to be installed directly on concrete slabs.
Engineered wood is real Wood Flooring, but it is made of up several layers. The top layer is a high-quality wood, so that it looks like a solid wood floor. However, there are several layers below it. Those layers can be the same type of wood or different. The grains of wood of each layer run in different directions. This makes an overall piece of wood very stable. As the temperatures change, engineered wood expands and contracts less than solid wood. Therefore, it can be installed below grade in a basement or above grade. Because of the thin top layer, it cannot be sanded and finished as many times as a solid wood floor.
All wood floors need to be finished. This protects the wood and minimizes the damage from moisture. Factories now produce both the unfinished and finished wood floor products. After the unfinished wood is installed, the installer will sand and finish it. This allows the homeowner the greatest flexibility in matching the wood floor to their home decor. However, the installation takes longer, and the homeowner has to wait for the finish to completely cure, before using the space. Finished wood floor products are ready to use as soon as they are installed.
The size of the wood planks can also affect the look of a home. Wider planks are popular in traditional designs while narrower planks are often paired with modern decor. New York Wood Flooring is a company that helps homeowners choose among these options. Their technicians are happy to visit a home and provide free estimates.