What are the Different Types of Wood Flooring?
If you’ve been searching the web and looking for flooring solutions, you’ve probably come across the wide varieties and options available in the market, and we understand how it can be a tad confusing to choose which option to go for, especially when you’re no expert. And even when you’ve settled on wood flooring, the choices can go deeper than just saying you want something that’s made of wood; there are solid hardwoods, laminates, vinyl, engineered hardwood flooring—and the list can go on. Fret not, as we’ll be discussing the different types of wood flooring to help you discover what exactly you’re looking for.
What is Wood Flooring?
Before we move forward, let us define wood flooring first. According to the National Wood Flooring Association, the definition of “real wood flooring” is characterized by having real and natural wood as the top-most, wearable surface in any flooring product. There are different categories of wood flooring and can be divided into three which are solid, engineered wood, and hybrid.
The Different Types of Wood Flooring
The categories you’ll have to choose from when buying wood flooring are usually going to be:
- Solid Wood Flooring
- Engineered Wood Flooring
- Hybrid Wood Flooring
We’ll discuss each type of wood flooring option below.
Solid Wood Flooring
Solid wood flooring is generally defined by a flooring product that contains a single solid piece of wood. This type of wood flooring is sometimes referred to as “traditional wood flooring” because of its long history of use. The advantages that solid wood flooring include:
- Easy to manufacture
- Easy to access
- Thicker wear layer that allows for re-sanding and refinishing
- Luxurious and adds value to any property
Engineered Wood Flooring
This type of wood flooring features a natural wood layer on the surface, or lamella, and a composite product makes up the layers underneath it. Engineered wood flooring can be available at ranging prices, which is why quality has to be recognized, as high-quality engineered wood flooring is the closest thing to solid wood flooring, as these offer a premium feel and custom look. These types of engineered wood flooring can also offer a thick lamellae, which allows for refinishing every five to ten years—long enough to endure generations.
The advantage of engineered wood flooring when compared to solid floors is its stability, especially in changing climates and seasonal weather. It performs more consistently due to its engineered structure, unlike solid wood floors, which is easily affected by fluctuations in temperature.
In a nutshell, here are the advantages of engineered hardwood floors:
- Increased stability against changes in temperature and humidity
- Availability of choices
- Ease in installation
- Reduced cupping
Hybrid Wood Flooring
Apart from solid wood and engineered wood flooring, you’ll also find hybrid wood flooring. Also referred to as “composite hardwood flooring,” hybrid wood flooring is a recent innovation. Floorcoveringweekly.com writes about the definition of hybrid flooring: It is any flooring product made of a material that contains organic fibers and polymers plus inorganic matter.
Hybrid wood floors, for instance, that feature a real wood veneer are classified as a composite engineered hardwood flooring product. The key difference is that a hybrid wood floor only has real wood as its veneer, but not in the substrate. This allows it the following advantages:
- Waterproof performance
- Cleanability of vinyl
- Scratch-resistance of laminate
The Benefits of Each Type of Wood Flooring
To briefly summarize the benefits that solid, engineered, and hybrid wood flooring has to offer, you can focus on their unique advantages. Being wood flooring in general, each type offers similar benefits like emanating warmth, providing a natural appearance to any space, and promoting sustainability.
Solid wood floors primarily provide a thicker wear layer and a luxurious feel, which means it gives you more value over the long run. Engineered hardwood floors, meanwhile, provide the same feel and look of solid wood floors, but at better prices, while also providing better overall performance. And lastly, hybrid wood floors provide a range of alternative options to both solid and engineered hardwood floors as it mimics the look of real wood.
Check out this article on the differences between solid and engineered wood floors for a deeper understanding!
Ua Floors is Your Global Brand for Engineered Wood Flooring
Given the different types of wood flooring, their respective benefits, environmental suitability, and corresponding costs, which type is most suitable for your needs?
Feel free to send us a message and consult with our team of wood flooring specialists.