Solid Wood Flooring

Wooden floors are one of the most popular kinds of floor coverings that we see today. Not only are they a good investment, they are warm and inviting. They also give your home an old-fashioned look. As an added benefit, some of the new ones can be easily installed by simply following the manufactures' instructions. They also are available in a large assortment of patterns. There are many varieties of woods to choose from also. This material is available in two ways; Solid Wood and Engineered Wood.

As the name suggests, the solid wood varieties are made of one hundred percent natural wood. It is manufactured from inch thick pieces of solid wood that have been carefully sliced from a tree. North American hardwoods such as oak and maple are mainly used for this purpose. Brazilian cherry and Australian cypress trees are utilized in the creating of the higher end and exotic floors. These solid wood versions are quite expensive. However, they are not very durable. They are vulnerable to disease and damage. Solid hardwood can be affected by any changes in temperature; they shrink with cold and expand with heat and humidity. To help accommodate for this expansion and contraction, small gaps are left between the pieces during the installation process.

Engineered wood floors, on the other hand, are ready made floors. They are already stained and varnished when they are purchased from the lumber yard. They consist of three pieces of plywood that have been glued together during the manufacturing process. The top piece has a beautiful factory applied finish on it. Engineered floors are less expensive than solid wood would be. However, it is much easier to damage.