Solid wood floors are one solid piece of wood that have tongue and groove sides. When we talk about solid wood floors, we tend to think of floors that are unfinished, but it’s important to know that there are also many pre-finished 3/4” solid wood floors. And you should also be aware of the moisture factor. Solid wood floors are sensitive to moisture and because so they are used in nail down installations and are not recommended for installation below ground level, or directly over a concrete slab. The good news is that these floors can be refinished, or recoated, several times, which adds to their appeal and to their long life in your home.
In fact, there are solid floors that are over 100 years old that are still in good condition with rich patina and character – enhancing the beauty of the home. Because they’re a natural product, hardwood flooring will expand and contract in response to seasonal changes in moisture. In the winter heating months, moisture leaves the wood causing the floor to contract, which creates small gaps between each plank. In the summer months, when the humidity is higher, the wood will expand and the gaps will disappear. If there is too much moisture it may cause the wood planks to cup, or buckle. Not something you want in your home. This is why it is important when installing a solid strip floor to leave the proper expansion area around the perimeter and to acclimate the wood prior to installation. This will help assure a lasting, beautiful application.
Know that oak is a wood of choicesOak is commonly used for solid unfinished wood floors and there are several different qualities of oak for you to choose from. These qualities are clear, select and better, #1 common, and #2 common. The clear has no visual blemishes or knots and is extremely expensive. While the select and better quality has some small knots and very little dark graining. The #1 common and #2 common have more knots and more dark graining. So be aware of that when buying an unfinished solid oak floor and make sure you know which quality of wood you are buying.
Engineered wood floors are generally manufactured with 2, 3, or 5 thin sheets or plies of wood that are laminated together to form one plank. These wood plies are stacked on top of each other but in the opposite directions. This is called cross-ply construction which creates a wood floor that is dimensionally stable and less affected by moisture than a 3/4” solid wood floor. In the presence of moisture, solid wood planks will always expand across the width of the planks, rather than down the length of the boards.
The advantage of cross-ply construction allows the plies to counteract each other which will stop the plank from growing or shrinking with the changes in humidity. The other advantage for you is versatility. You can install these floors over concrete slabs in your basement as well as anywhere else in you home. Most engineered floors can be nailed down, stapled down, glued down, or floated over a wide variety of subfloors, including some types of existing flooring. Engineered floors will range from 1/4" to 9/16" in thickness, and vary from 2 1/4" to 7" in width. The widths can also be mixed, such as 3-5-7-inch planks installed side by side. By varying the board widths you can change the total appearance of the floor. Create a truly custom look for your home. The lengths will be random and range from 12" – 60" in length.
For flexibility, engineered is top-notchBecause engineered wood floors are made up of several layers of wood the top finish layer can be a totally different wood species. A variety of domestic or exotic hardwood species are available such as Oak, Maple, Hickory or Cherry.