Determining Which Hardwood Floor Is Right For You
A hardwood floor can be made out of any kind of timber and is chosen for its support or simply because people enjoy the looks of natural wood. Bamboo floors are also considered to be a hardwood floor, even though they are technically a type of grass. There are two primary types that these floors may be categorized as, either solid or engineered, so it is important that you do some research on each of these options so you can better determine which one would best suit your needs. This article will take an in-depth look at both options to help you feel comfortable with your purchase.
The first type of hardwood floor we will take a look at is the solid variety. What categorizes this type of wood is the fact that it is cut from a single plank of solid wood. You have many different styles and dimensions to choose from when you purchase this type of wood. Even though it was originally used as support for buildings, this is rarely the case any longer as construction techniques have progressed over the years. Instead, it is commonly used only for its attractive appearance.
If you have been thinking of choosing a solid hardwood floor for your home, then you should realize that it does have quite a few limitations. One of these has to do with the tendency of full sheets of wood to contract and expand due to the influence of temperature and moisture. Although there is really no perfect size that can be used in order to prevent this, it is recommended that you use planks that are 5 inches wide and 3/4 inches thick. You will also want to avoid using solid wood planks directly over concrete as this violates modern construction methods.
These days the engineered type of hardwood floor is much more common in houses all over the world, except in North America where there is still a larger market for solid wood floors. Engineered wood does seem to be making headway, however. This type is created by taking two or more layers and putting them together to create a single plank. In general, the top layer is the only one that is visible as the under layer is meant to provide stability.
An engineered hardwood floor is constructed by one of two different methods. The first of the two, referred to as a wood ply construction, uses several thin layers of wood. The wood used is selected specifically for its resistance to climate. The second is known as finger core construction and it is created with small pieces of milled wood either in 2 or 3 ply. The grains run perpendicular to each other to help create more stability and support. This also reduces the effects that climate has on the wood.
