Hardwood Flooring: A Complete Guide for Your Home

Types of Hardwood Flooring

When shopping for hardwood, one of the first decisions is choosing between solid and engineered hardwood.

Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwood is made from a single piece of natural wood. Because of its construction, many solid hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished multiple times over their lifespan.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood is constructed from multiple layers, with a real hardwood surface on top. Its layered construction can provide greater dimensional stability than solid hardwood in certain environments.

The best option depends on factors such as your home's construction, the room where the flooring will be installed, your lifestyle, and your long-term plans for the floor.

Hardwood flooring is available in many different wood species and visual styles. The species you choose can affect the floor's grain, color variation, hardness, and overall appearance.

You can also customize the look of your floor by considering:

• Light, medium, or dark wood tones
• Wider or narrower plank widths
• Smooth or textured surfaces
• Different levels of natural character
• Matte, satin, or other finish appearances
• Traditional, contemporary, or transitional styles

When choosing a floor, look beyond the individual sample and consider how it will work with your cabinets, walls, furniture, countertops, and other finishes.

Hardwood Flooring Installation

Professional installation is an important part of getting the best performance from your hardwood flooring.

The appropriate installation method can depend on the type of hardwood, the subfloor, and the conditions of the room. Common installation methods include nail-down and glue-down installation.

Before installation, the subfloor should be properly prepared and the flooring should be installed according to the manufacturer's requirements.

Boyer's Floor Covering offers hardwood installation and can help you understand what your project requires before installation begins.

Regular maintenance can help keep hardwood looking its best.

A good care routine includes regularly removing dirt and grit that can scratch the surface, cleaning with products recommended for your specific floor, and addressing spills promptly.

It's also important to avoid excessive moisture. Hardwood is a natural material and can respond to changes in moisture and humidity, so maintaining a stable indoor environment can help reduce seasonal movement and other moisture-related concerns.

Planning to add hardwood flooring to your home? Keep these considerations in mind before making your selection.

Consider the Room

Think about where the flooring will be installed and how the room is used. High-traffic areas may have different requirements than bedrooms or formal living spaces.

Look at Samples in Your Home

Wood flooring can look very different depending on the room's natural and artificial lighting. Whenever possible, view samples in the space where the flooring will be installed.

Think About Your Lifestyle

Children, pets, entertaining, and everyday foot traffic can all influence which hardwood style and finish will work best for you.

Your flooring should complement the other materials in your home. Look at the relationship between the wood tone, cabinets, countertops, walls, furniture, and other finishes.

Don't Forget Installation

The flooring itself is only part of the project. The condition of your subfloor and the appropriate installation method can affect the finished result, so professional guidance is valuable before installation begins.

Hardwood can be an excellent choice if you want the natural appearance of real wood, long-term design appeal, and the ability to refresh certain floors through refinishing.

However, every home and household is different. Moisture exposure, room usage, maintenance expectations, budget, and installation requirements should all be considered before choosing your flooring.

If you're comparing hardwood with laminate, luxury vinyl, or another flooring option, a flooring professional can help you weigh the differences based on how you actually use your home.