Different Flooring Types

If you are considering having wood flooring in a room of you home or throughout your home then you have a lot of decisions to make. It is a bit like having carpet – you have to choose the pattern, the colour, the weave and so on. Well, with wood flooring you have to choose the finish, the gain, the installation type but above all you have to choose the type of flooring that y

ou want. There are three main types of wood flooring and your options are outlined below to help you to decide between them.

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring is extremely strong and durable because, unlike solid wood flooring, it is composed of between three and five layers of various types of wood that are glued together via cross-grain lamination. This gives it a stability and resistance to cracking that other forms of wood flooring do not have. It will still absorb moisture but its composition makes it more resistant to changing, cracking, gapping and swelling.

It is also much cheaper than solid wood flooring because the wood finish that you desire only need be on the top layer. For example, if you want an expensive walnut finish then to brig costs down the layers below will be made of a cheaper wood such as pine. It will be impossible to tell the difference between engineered wood flooring and solid wood flooring unless you are a professional after installation. As a result, you get the best of both worlds!

Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is expensive hardwood fl

ooring that can give your home a unique and beautiful character. The look and aesthetic value it gives your home is undoubtedly unique and highly traditionally desirable. However, there is not just one type of solid wood flooring. Instead there are literally hundreds of types and style to choose from as a result of the staining, grains, surface finish and species of wood as well as the width of the individual boards.

Depending on the wood you choose and the width of the boards, you can create specific looks for all of your rooms. For example, narrow boards will give you a more formal and traditional look whereas wider boards can give you a colonial or country look. The boards are at least 18mm thick but can be refinished or resanded several times to achieve a different finish or look whenever you like.

Laminate Wood Flooring

Although not as old a concept as the above two types of wood flooring, laminate wood flooring is extremely durable and strong and thus desirable for any home. The laminate surface is made using aluminium oxide, which is extremely tough, and the print of the wood pattern that is transferred onto it can give the wood a beautiful quality. Although the individual boards are usually made of high-density fibreboard, this will give it a strength that compliments the look well. It is also extremely fordable, more so than solid or engineered wood flooring. If you have people coming and going a lot then this is the wood flooring for you!