Hardwood floors, the elegant choice

Hardwood flooring conjures up images of classic floors and elegance in the home. With rich and warm rooms, you can’t go wrong. Wood floors not only look beautiful, but wood floors last for decades and add value to your property. It may seem daunting to pick out just the right hardwood, but we are here to help you every step of the way.

Which type is right for you?

There are two types of hardwood to choose from, solid or engineered. Solid hardwood is the same thickness throughout the plank. So you have a thick solid floor underfoot. The other option is engineered hardwood. Both look identical to each other, but the engineered wood flooring has a slice of the desired species on top. Be it oak, hickory, cherry, or maple, these slices have the grain and whorls you see in a solid hardwood flooring. Your engineered floor has at least three layers of genuine wood underneath, and they are positioned to where they fit in a crosshatch position to allow for ease of installation. As a consequence, the engineered floor can go in higher-than-normal moisture places, like basements. It can be refinished and adds to the property just as the solid hardwood.

Which species do you prefer?

Here is where it gets exciting—the species of wood number in the hundreds. The most popular are hickory, cherry, oak, ash, walnut, and maple. There are also exotic woods you can choose from, such as acacia, teak, tigerwood, and cumaru. These come from places like Brazil, Indonesia, and Africa. They tend to be hard, dark, and some say more contemporary. You also want to think about the stain and the width of the plank. Do you want a wide or narrow plank? Light or dark stain?