Undoubtedly, wooden flooring has been the most popular floor surfacing for centuries. All credit goes to its versatility of designs & functions and the inherent natural charm that gives your home an entirely different personality and class. Whether layering a new wooden surface in your new home or repairing a damaged one, such floor surfaces are available in various choices.
But did you say do it yourself for this flooring? When it comes to home improvement projects, choosing DIY over professional can help you save a lot of money but can lack finishing if not done correctly. So, there are pros & cons both when it comes to DIYing wood or hardwood flooring. When talking about hardwood flooring, there are many advancements in construction and technology to them. Some manufacturers also work with the customers by providing pre-finished or factory-finished hardwood surfaces that are a lot easier to install.
Hence, it also depends on the types of floor customers choose – whether they can DIY or should hire a professional for installation. And to help you further, here’s a breakdown of various types of hardwood flooring and their features to consider.
What Is Wooden Flooring?
Any permanent surface or floor that appears like wood is called wood flooring. Also known as hardwood flooring, these are usually made of natural, synthetic lumber and are available in versatile wood species, designs, styles, sizes, and colors.
When discussing broader categorization, these are usually divided into solid hardwood flooring and engineered wood flooring. While solid wood ones are made of solid planks, engineered ones are crafted with lumber veneer over a reinforced, synthetic underlayment.
Solid Hardwood Flooring
As said earlier, these are made of wide, solid hardwood planks that can be fitted together using the groove or tongue method. These can be long-lasting for non-moisture areas. In other words, you must use something different than solid wood planks on high-moisture sites or ground. Sandling them every few years can significantly extend solid wood floors’ life.
Engineered Wood Floors
Usually involves a layering of top wood over a subfloor, either made of multiple layers of wood or concrete; the engineered hardwood flooring is comparatively cheaper than solid wood floors. They have a better holding of humidity and moisture than solid ones.
Types Of Wood Species
Now, once you’ve decided whether to go with an engineered one or a solid one, choosing a suitable wood species is the next important thing to consider. It will directly influence the functionality and appearance of the floor. So, listed below are a few wood species widely popular for home hardwood flooring.
Oak Flooring
Easy to refinish and affordable, oak wood floors are the most popular. These are a type of wooden plank with a semi-gloss finish, crafted in various warm brown shades, and perfect for traditional home spaces. Red and white oak are the two most popular choices among oak flooring. And white oak has the most demanding level and is highly durable for over-traffic areas.
Walnut Floors
Also known as American walnut floors or flooring, these are often designed in dark wood with a distinctive swirled grain look. Softer than maple, oak, and hickory, walnut floors are rich shades and work well in modern and traditional spaces alike. These often require scuffing and denting and are unsuitable for high-traffic home spaces.
Bamboo Wood Floors
A more eco-friendly alternative to hardwood flooring, Bamboo offers an equivalent feel as the other floors provide. These are as durable as compared to others. The only difference is, Bamboo is a dense grass, and its hardness varies on the grass invested in the manufacturing. Bamboo floors are generally lighter in shades. And are comparatively cheaper per square foot as compared to other wooden surfaces.
Maple Flooring
A light-colored wood species, maple floors are dent-resistant and more complex than oak. Ideal for high-traffic spaces, maple flooring is perfect for traditional homes. If you love the matte finish and wish to give your home a contemporary look, then such floors are ideal to choose from. Underfoot spaces and bowling alley lanes usually have such types of hardwood flooring.
Pine Wood
Comparatively, softwood floors, Pine flooring are highly sustainable and cheaper than all. These are highly prone to scratches and dents. Therefore, refinishing them can only sometimes be a great option. The versatile yellow and white hues of pine wood and its charming grainy finish make a perfect decor option for a home with low traffic.
Cherry Wood
One of the most costly wood species, Cherry wood floors have a highly desirable appearance. Its light reddish, versatile brown color with swirling grain texture is greatly photosensitive. It tends to darken down in a few months and is vulnerable to scuffing, staining, warping, and denting. Hence, you need to be very careful when you choose to install such type of hardwood flooring, and you need to be as cautious as possible.
Cork Flooring
Perfect for family rooms and dens, the cork wood flooring made from cork oak tree bark is a more convenient option for soft flooring. Their natural resilience in them can withstand molds and moistures. These hold the massive capability of reducing cushion footfalls and noise. The only drawback of such flooring is that it could be better for pet-friendly homes. These are likely to get scratches and scuffs by the pointed nails or paws of the pet. So, if you have pets at home, you must avoid using cork wood surfaces.
Closing Notes
And that wraps up some of the most valuable details of hardwood flooring and its types. With the help of the above-mentioned points, you will be able to decide which kind of wood to go for and how cost-effective it will be to your pocket.
Furthermore, whether you choose to do it yourself or hire a professional, thoroughly review all the pros and cons of all wood surfaces beforehand. That will help you make a wise decision and can save your pocket from hefty repairing or refinishing expenses in the long run.
