Choosing the type of hardwood floor to install depends mainly on the type of subfloor you are planning on installing the flooring on.
There are really 2 main types of hardwood floor – engineered, and solid hardwood.
Solid hardwood flooring
Solid hardwood flooring is a great choice if you are planning on living in your house for a long time – it can be refinished more than once and is very durable. Hickory, Maple and Oak are all good choices for a natural look.
Engineered Flooring
This type is a laminated flooring with usually around 3/16 of an inch of real wood on the wear surface. Some people feel that this type of flooring is inferior to solid wood, but others like the way it wears, and it tends to be more stable than the solid flooring. This type of flooring is very stable and is good for most types of subfloor, particularly basements.
Do it myself, or hire a contractor?
Many people like to install their own flooring. Engineered is by far the easiest to install yourself, since, generally no special tools are needed to complete the project. If you are installing the solid flooring, you will likely need a special nailer – this can oftentimes be rented from the local rental shop.
Hiring a contractor is a good choice if you are unfamiliar with some construction basics – you’ll need to know how to measure and cut accurately, as well as some finishing techniques.
If you don’t choose a pre finished flooring, you’ll need to allow time in the project for sanding, staining and sealing your new wood floor.
Hardwood floors are a great, durable choice for most any room in the house and can give a very nice, elegant look to a kitchen, living room or foyer.
