Prefinished White Oak Flooring comes in a variety of finishes, each with their own special features and qualities. The type of finish, such as laminate and engineered hardwood, determines the method of the installation as well as durability and ease of care. For those who want to install it themselves, the best place to start looking for the type of hardwood you want would be in the basic installation instructions as they range from beginner to someone who is skilled at DIY jobs or a professional.
Both the locking laminate and the locking hardwood flooring fit together without the need for glue, although it is recommended you use glue in the bathroom. The laminate can be installed over any floor structure that is already there. The engineered hardwood lock and fold is also easily installed without glues, staples or nails; however, you do have to install the underlayment that makes it lock together. Engineered hardwood and Wood Plank Flooring have to be fastened down and it is recommended that if you are not real experienced you should hire a professional.
The Prefinished White Oak Flooring usually comes with a 15 to 25 year warranty, compared to a 3 to 5 year warranty typically offered on unfinished hardwood flooring due to the fact that the urethane applied at the factory is tougher and lasts longer than what you would use at home. The two benefits of using unfinished hardwood flooring is that you can sand out little imperfections and you have a greater selection of stains, but it takes a lot of extra work and time, as you have to sand it, stain it and let it dry after you would be finished with the other. Engineered hardwood is real wood, but is 3 to 10 thin layers glued in a cross-ply construction so they are not as bothered by shrinking and expanding because of the changes in humidity and temperature.
