The Different Types And Styles Of Wood Floors

If you have been considering installing hardwood floors in your home, you should know about the various types and styles that are available, each offering a unique look, and purpose. Knowing what options you have for your wood floors will allow you to create the perfect look for your home, while still keeping the project within your desired level of complexity, and price.

First, we will cover the types. There are three basic types of wood flooring, each one offering it's own look and advantages. The most frequently sought type is solid flooring, which covers a wide range of wood floors, as anything that is created using a single plank of wood, rather then several layered on top of one another, would be considered solid. Most homeowners choose this type, as it allows you the chance to completely customize the look, by controlling what species, and what finishes, are used.

The second type is engineered flooring. These will be made with three to five layers of wood that have been pressed tightly together to create one plank, the grains running in every direction to increase the strength of the wood. This type of wood flooring should be used for specific areas in your home, such as basements, or anywhere that there could potentially be water damage. It is used more for it's durability then for it's appearance.

The last type is the acrylic impregnated flooring. These aren't usually used in the average home, as they are more expensive then solid floors, but they are much stronger then the average solid plank, and so preferable for businesses. You can also use them for particularly active households, where it is more likely you will damage your flooring. They work by injecting an acrylic mold into the wood itself, hardening it, and adding an extra layer of protection to the structure.

Keep in mind that while all types can be placed in the base, and higher, levels of your home, solid floors cannot be placed in an underground level, such as a basement, as the likelihood of water damage caused by flooding creates a hazard.

Now we have styles of wood floors. This can mean a number of things, such as the species of wood that is used to create your planks, but it is most often associated with the actual look of the flooring. The most popular, especially for an area such as the living room, is strip flooring. This is a plank that can be up to 3 1\4" wide, and is used to make a small space look larger, by placing everything in linear lines that run towards one direction.

The second is plank flooring, which is similar to strip, only it's much wider, running up to 6" a piece, and so allowing for less planks to be used to create the same linear effect. This is great for areas that are already larger, and can save you a lot of money if you plan on covering a wide space, but don't want to spend a lot of time and money laying smaller sized flooring.

Last is parquet flooring, which is the most complex of all styles. It is used for those who want to do something truly customized, and special, with their wood floors, and will give you an effect like no other. It works by laying smaller pieces of wood flooring into specific designs, that create shapes with the wood work. Each plank can be quite elaborate, resembling a tile, and creates an amazing look that will be unique to your home.