The wood flooring industry has changed tremendously in the past decade.
You have more choices now than ever before. This is why it is important
for you to understand which type of wood flooring will work for you. The
best way to do this is to work backwards:
- Know what you have (determine the on-site conditions with
regards to moisture and facts about what kind of underlayment you have)
- Know what you can have (i.e.: can't nail a floor
directly to concrete)
- Know what you would like to have (have some really basic
information in mind such as: light or dark floors, traditional or
contemporary etc.)
Chances are after these steps you will have eliminated a lot of choices.
Now, learn about the choices you have:
Unfinished wood flooring
Unfinished flooring is a product that must be job-site sanded
and finished after installation.
Pre-finished wood flooring:
Pre-finished flooring is factory sanded and finished flooring
that only needs installation.
Solid wood flooring:
Solid wood flooring is
completely lumber. It is available in unfinished and pre-finished. Solid wood
flooring is produced in:
Strip - in thicknesses of
5/16" to 3/4" in widths of 1 1/2, 2" and 2 1/4"
Plank - in thicknesses of
1/2" or 3/4" and widths of 3" to 8"
Parquet - geometrical
patterns composed of individual wood slats held in place by mechanical
fastening or an adhesive
Engineered wood flooring:
Sometimes
also called "laminate" flooring, although often the word
"engineered" is used to differentiate floors with a thicker real
wood veneer on top, which depending on thickness can be sanded and refinished
in the future. "Laminated" however, is a thinner non sandable
version of the same. There are some laminates (such as "Pergo"),
that have a man made "wood look" veneer on top. Both
engineered and laminate floors are produced by bonding layers of veneer and
lumber with an adhesive. They are available in pre-finished and unfinished.
These products are more dimensionally stable and are ideal for glue-down
installation or float-in installation above grade, on grade or below grade,
including basements and humid climates. Laminate wood flooring is produced in:
Strip
- thicknesses of 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or 5/8" and in widths
of 2" and 2 1/4"
Plank -
thicknesses of 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or 5/8" and in widths of
3" to 8"
Parquet - wood tiles, available in 9" x 9" or 8" x 8" and
other patterns
Laminate
flooring:
Laminates
appeal for the demanding customer who also wants to be budget conscious.
When the job is done, you'd never know that only a thin veneer is stretched
across a medium or heavy density fiber board. It is this feature that
allows for a quick, inexpensive installation. Some laminates are real
wood veneers, while others are man made (photograph) look alike
products. This opened the door for manufacturers to have fun with the
product. Laminates are made to to look like wood, stone, ceramic and
other creative designs.
Acrylic impregnated wood flooring:
Acrylic impregnated is a pre-finished wood flooring product. Through a
high-pressure treatment, acrylic and color are forced into the pores throughout
the thickness of the wood. The "finish" is inside the wood, creating
an extremely hard surface. These floors are highly resistant to abrasion and
moisture and appeal most often to commercial customers but are also used
residentially. Acrylic impregnated floors are available in the same styles as
laminate floors.
