Whether you are building new or remodeling your current home, installing hardwood flooring is a great option for the floors in your home. However, there is more to buying hardwood flooring than simply choosing the type of wood you prefer. There are several factors that will determine the type of hardwood floor that your home can accommodate, what will look the best with your decor and your budget. There are a few basic options to choose from, including solid wood and engineered wood. Engineered wood is plywood with a top layer of veneer, while solid wood is what you would typically associate with as being a hardwood floor. Choosing which type of wood flooring is only one of the questions most people have regarding hardwood flooring. Here are 5 questions you should ask before buying hardwood flooring.
1. Where Will the Wood Floor be Going?
The level of your home where the floor will be installed plays a large factor on whether or not the flooring can/should be installed. It is acceptable to install wood flooring in a room that is above ground level. For example, a space below ground, such as the basement is known as below grade, which means that because a damp ground can cause problems, solid wood is not recommended. However, engineered wood would be suitable for the space.
2. What Type of Material is the Subfloor Made of?
The three most common types of subfloor is plywood, concrete slab and particleboard. Knowing which type will help you decide between solid wood and engineered wood. For example, if the subfloor is concrete, usually the only option is engineered wood flooring; however, if the subfloor is plywood, you can choose to install solid wood or engineered wood.
3. What Are Your Family’s Living Habits?
It is important to learn about the various species of wood used for wood flooring and their durability. One of the most important questions to ask is what type of wear and tear the floors will take? For example, do you have children and pets, do you entertain a lot or are you a single person who is away from home a lot? If your home has a lot of traffic, you will want to choose a harder wood, such as Red Oak, which is a medium priced hardwood.
4. What is the Most Important to You?
Is your budget the largest factor when choosing the type of solid wood or engineered wood you will install? Do you care about the appearance or maybe the care and maintenance? It is important to note that engineered wood flooring is not always the least expensive of the two options, so do not think you can’t have solid wood floors on a budget. Both solid wood and engineered wood floors have various maintenance benefits. For example, if you have pets, solid wood may scratch and dent easier than engineered wood, but choosing a harder wood may withstand quite a bit of wear and tear.
The best thing you can do is to see and feel the various options in person. Wood is a living species, so you need to feel what the types you are attracted to. It is your home and you have already made a first wise choice by opting for wood flooring. The difficult part will be choosing which wood, color and grain best suits your needs and wants.
