With all the use your floor receives, you want a product and installation that’s durable. Hardwood flooring is a fantastic option for its incredible lifespan, as well as its stylish, modern look. Before you dive in and purchase hardwood for your home or business, you’ll want to make sure you are well informed on the product selection available. There is a vast range of hardwood characteristics and styles that could influence your purchase and understanding each is crucial.
This article will do a deep dive into hardwood flooring and equip you with everything you need to know for your next installation project. Let’s jump in.
What is Hardwood Flooring?
Hardwood flooring is a popular type of flooring that has been utilized for centuries. Due to its impressive durability, variety of colors, and timeless beauty, hardwood is an excellent choice for homeowners seeking a refined, rustic look.
Hardwood planks are generally installed via the fitting together of tongue and groove joints and nailing, creating a long-lasting floor that can follow the lifespan of the home.
Source: thespruce.com
Characteristics of Hardwood
Hardwood is a robust flooring type that comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Before starting your installation, you should know about the differences in characteristics and what purposes they serve. According to This Old House, hardwood can be broken down into 4 factors:
- Length
- Hardness
- Thickness
- Width
Length
Hardwood boards typically come precut between 3 and 3.5 feet. For the most seamless installation possible, prioritize using longer pieces. This limits the appearance of clunky end joints that stand out. However, if you’re installing hardwood in a small room and want it to have a larger feel, cut your pieces smaller.
Hardness
The hardness of your wood is dependent on which species of tree was used during the manufacturing process. Each species has its own level of hardness, and the harder the wood, the more durable your flooring will be. Here are the various wood types, ranked from softest to hardest:
Thickness
Width
Types of Hardwood Cuts
Flatsawn Boards
A commercial carpet cleaner and stain pre-treatment will remove even the worst of stains. Although these products have a little more muscle behind them, they do cost significantly more than household products. Additionally, they’ll require a run to the store, and in many cases, you’ll need a carpet cleaning machine for them to function properly. Regardless, they’re a fantastic product for stains that need serious attention.
Quartersawn Boards
How Hardwood Grading Works
The quality and price of your unfinished hardwood flooring are determined based on the grade of wood. The fewer the defects, the higher the grade. It’s worth mentioning, however, that different species of woods have different standards of defects, as some species naturally have many knots and a variety of colors present. Grading is broken down into three categories:
- Select: Minimal, or zero defects
- Natural: Occasional defects found throughout
- Rustic: Many obvious defects
What Are the Types of Hardwood Floors?
Solid
Solid hardwood is naturally cut from one solid piece of hardwood. Its existence dates back to the 1600s, but it is still a popular choice in flooring due to its authenticity, timelessness, and refinishing lifespan. The price tag is higher upfront but pays for itself over its lifetime if properly maintained.
Engineered
Distressed
Distressed flooring is completely authentic, weathered wood. It’ll look more rustic and used than other floor types, but this is an advantage. It also comes at a higher price tag.
Exotic
Exotic flooring is manufactured with unique wood from all parts of the globe. It has a naturally durable hardness and a variety of eye-popping colors. It’s also an expensive option.
What Are the Different Styles of Hardwood Floors?
Brazilian Chestnut
An extremely hard and durable hardwood style, Brazilian chestnut is an expensive distressed wood option. It is best used in high-traffic areas like kitchens.
Distressed Heart Pine
Engineered Beach
FAQS About Hardwood Flooring
How much do hardwood floors cost
Hardwood flooring is priced by square footage, both in materials and installation labor. Pricing varies based on the type of wood used, and whether old flooring needs to be removed by the installers.
How long do hardwood floors last?
Luckily, the physical wood has the potential to last the lifetime of your home if properly maintained. However, over time the hardwood flooring material will lose the luster and freshness it originally had. Refinishing and recoating should be undertaken regularly to mitigate this, on average every 8-12 years and 3-5 years, respectively.
How to maintain hardwood floors?
Proper maintenance of your flooring involves frequent and thorough cleaning. What is the best way to clean hardwood floors? Always clean up spills immediately and take the time to sweep and vacuum regularly. The best cleaner for hardwood floors is one that’s nonabrasive and won’t stain or damage the wood. Additionally, what is the best vacuum for hardwood floors? Choose an upright vacuum that has soft bristles to match the flat contour of the floor
Where do you install hardwood floors?Where do you install hardwood floors?
Your solid wood floor is best installed in rooms where foot traffic is heavy, and dirt and spills are commonplace. This can make cleaning significantly easier. The dining room, hallways, and communal living spaces are all great places for an installation. Hardwood can also be installed in bedrooms, but children may prefer a soft, carpeted floor for play.
How do I know if my floor is engineered or hardwood?
On the surface, engineered hardwood looks identical to solid wood flooring. To determine if you have an engineered floor, pick up a piece of wood and examine it from the side. If the flooring piece is composed of a single, continuous grain, it’s solid hardwood flooring. If you notice multiple layers of wood that aren’t one cohesive piece, it’s engineered.
Does carpet ruin hardwood floors?
Carpet is not detrimental to hardwood, but it can cause damage. Inexpensive area rugs are often manufactured with synthetic materials. These materials, when placed directly on the wood flooring, can scratch and discolor it. To avoid this, you can install a rug mat. This mat will act as a barrier between your hardwood and the carpet, preventing any damage.
How long does a hardwood floor installation take?
What is hardwood commonly used for?
In most homes, hardwood is most used for the living spaces and other sections that guests frequent. As mentioned, the dining room is a prime location due to its propensity to suffer food and drink-related spills. Hallways receive quite a lot of use and can suffer a build-up of dirt, making them another great use for hardwood.
Are hardwood floors waterproof?
Your floor wood material will have no problem standing up against minor amounts of liquid if cleaned up quickly. However, hardwood floors are not waterproof and can suffer serious damage if exposed to larger quantities. If your home were to suffer burst pipes or flooding, your floors will likely need replacing unless the water intrusion is tackled early.
What are the disadvantages of hardwood?
One of the primary disadvantages of hardwood is its lack of comfort. This flooring can be quite hard to walk on and can also be cold in the winter months. Additionally, hardwood is more expensive than other flooring types and involves a much more difficult installation process. On top of this, hardwood is susceptible to water damage as previously mentioned.
Why do people like hardwood floors so much?
People like hardwood for the immense stylistic value it brings to their homes. This flooring type has a luxurious appearance that has a timeless beauty. Another reason that homeowners love this flooring type is that it’s incredibly long-lasting and makes for a fantastic investment, on top of being easy to maintain.
How long should you acclimate hardwood flooring?
Acclimation is the process of allowing your solid wood flooring to adjust to the environmental conditions of your home. While the suggested acclimation time can vary depending on the type of floor wood material, most experts suggest a bare minimum of 3-5 days. If you want to ere on the side of caution, consider acclimating for up to 2 weeks.
Where to buy hardwood flooring?
The best way to get a high-quality piece of wood and professional installation is by contacting a reputable flooring dealer and installer. is your preferred flooring specialist, capable of providing for every need.
