Types Of Wood Floors

All solid wood flooring, regardless of width or length, that is one piece of wood from top to bottom is considered solid flooring. Solid wood floors can be installed on a concrete with sub floor as long as the floor is on or above ground level. Solid wood flooring expands and contracts with changes in your home’s relative humidity. All solid floors will react to the presence of moisture. In the winter heating months the lack of humidity can cause solid wood floors to contract, which leaves unsightly gaps between each plank. In the summer months when the humidity is higher the wood planks will expand and the gapping will disappear. If there is too much moisture present the wood planks may cup or buckle.

Made of several layers of wood stacked and glued together under heat and pressure. Engineered wood flooring is less likely to be affected by changes in humidity and can be installed above, on, or below ground level. Choose from 2-1/4 inches to 6-1/4 inches widths and 5/16 inches to 9/16 inches thickness.

The manufacturing processes the cross-grain construction of the various layers. Layers are locked together to improve dimensional stability. . Engineered products come in 3, 5, 7 or more ply’s, the number of ply’s will vary from one manufacturer to another.

The planks are generally stapled-down, glued-down and some can be floated over different types of sub floors. The glue-down installation allows the planks to be used on concrete.

Featuring all the benefits of Engineered Plank flooring plus even more installation versatility, the standard 7-1/2 inches width by approximately 86 inches in length makes Engineered Long strip floor a popular choice. Float, glue or staple down over almost any sound, flat and dry sub floor above, on or below ground level.