hardwood Archives - ICC Floors Plus Blog

Hardwood is a timeless flooring option that can increase your home’s value. Many people love the authentic look and styling hardwood has to offer. Even flooring options like tile and luxury vinyl planking mimic this highly-sought-after flooring. If you are considering authentic solid hardwood in your home, there are several things you should consider. While every floor comes with its own set of benefits or drawbacks, hardwood is a beautiful flooring option. To help you determine if it is right for you, here is everything you need to know about solid hardwood floors:

Pro – Durability

Hardwood is timeless and for a good reason. This flooring option is not only beautiful but extremely durable. While it can scratch and gouge, typical foot traffic will not damage this flooring.

Con – Costly

Hardwood flooring is a highly-desired flooring. Being made from trees, there is a process in which each plank must go through to be created. This process can make hardwood a pricey option. Therefore, if you are looking for the most cost-effective option, solid hardwood flooring will not be the best choice. Instead, you may want to consider looking into engineered hardwood.

Pro- Increases Market Value

Though the initial investment is expensive, there is still a significant return-on-investment with hardwood floors. In fact, solid hardwood flooring is a home improvement investment that can increase your home’s market value!

Con – Scratching

Hardwood floor is durable, but not indestructible. Moving heavy furniture or animal claws may scratch the floor. Be educated in the type of wood that is used. Some woods like pine can be softer than a hardwood like hickory.

Pro – Can Be Refinished

Hardwood can scratch and scuff over time. Fortunately, your floors can be sanded and refinished over and over. Solid hardwood can be refinished several more times than engineered floors, making it look brand new.

Con – Cannot Be Installed in Every Environment

Hardwood is wood and can expand and contract. Water can be a significant variable on how the floor responds to where it is installed. This factor can also be due to the humidity in the air or moisture coming up from the subfloor. If your floor is glued, it may be able to be installed over concrete. However, you need to test for dryness and perhaps install a moisture barrier. Hardwood is truly limited to the application and environments in which it can be installed.

In essence, you will want to learn what wood is used in your hardwood flooring. Each wood has its own set of benefits. Some woods are less or more susceptible to staining or damage. Hardwood is a great option, nevertheless, and will look great in any home. For more information on ICC Home‘s hardwood selection, you can view our online catalog here.

Loved for its effortless beauty and timeless nature; hardwood floors are a flooring staple in households across America. While hardwood floors are commonly used in households, some homeowners still do not understand its characteristics and properties. To help consumers understand their flooring properly, we are going to do a series on the four most common flooring types: Carpet, Hardwood, Tile, and LVP (Luxury Vinyl Planking). Today, we are going to take a closer look at hardwood and all it has to offer. Let’s take a look!

Solid Vs. Engineered

Hardwood flooring comes in two types of compositions: solid and engineered.

Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwood flooring is the type of floor that probably comes to mind when you think of traditional hardwood. It is composed of a single piece of wood and can be sanded or refinished as often as the homeowner sees fit. While solid hardwood is loved for its traditional beauty, it can contract and expand due to its single-piece nature. This means that solid hardwood would not do well in areas with a variety of temperatures and humidity like the kitchen or basement.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood floors, on the other hand, are composed of several pieces of wood (approximately three to five). The topmost layer of engineered hardwood is typically composed of plywood with other types of wood underneath it. Since it is composed of less expensive materials, engineered hardwood typically is not as expensive as traditional, solid hardwood floors. Additionally, homeowners gear toward engineered hardwood because it does not contract or expand due to temperature or humidity, giving it installation versatility.

Hardwood Finishes

Hardwood has two types of finishes: factory-finished and site-finished.

Factory-Finished

Factory-finished hardwood floors are often considered more convenient and less expensive in the eyes of a consumer. Additionally, since they are already finished prior to the installation, it gives homeowners a clean home, free of chemicals, odors, and excess dust. That being said, factory-finished hardwood floors do feature grooves on the sides of the boards. This means there will be a small gap between the boards, and it can make cleaning a little more challenging.

Site-Finished

On the other hand, your hardwood floors can be finished onsite. Often times, this is homeowners preferred method since it is more customizable and offers a flawless finish. Additionally, they are easier to clean, durable, and offer personalized craftsmanship. That being said, there is the presence of odors and dust as well as the need for an allotted time to cure and dry.

Types of Hardwood

Luckily, there are a wide variety of wood species. While wood species can vary in density and durability, experts recommend choosing one in terms of your color and grain preference.

Plank Width

In addition to a variety of wood species, there is also a wide selection of plank widths. Again, it all comes down to personal preference when choosing the width of your hardwood planks. That being said, some homeowners do lean more towards a wider plank because it shows fewer seams. But homeowners should be aware that the wider the plank, the more money you may spend.

At ICC Home, we understand that choosing the right flooring choice can feel overwhelming at times. We would love to help make the process easy and efficient. Be sure to visit us at ICC Home to make all of your design dreams come true. Also, do not forget to check back next week where will discuss tile. Thanks for reading!

Solid Hardwood Flooring Pros & Cons