Hardwood Flooring Guide 

A true classic, hardwood flooring is always luxurious and enduring. Highly in demand, hardwood flooring is coveted by many, who long for its rich textures and grains. Hardwood certainly has a lot to offer us, especially during modern times. A popular flooring choice for centuries, today’s hardwood flooring has been further refined by mankind’s inventiveness.

Hardwood flooring can add significant increases to your property value: in some cases, almost instantly. It also adds a unique warmth and depth to your interior, and can create the illusion of additional space. However, since hardwood can be a pricey investment, it pays to do your research beforehand. Hardwood flooring just isn’t compatible with all interiors, and it does have some specific care requirements.

Here’s what you need to know if you’re dreaming of a beautiful hardwood floor that will last for many years to come.  

Solid Hardwood vs. Engineered Hardwood

Solid hardwood flooring was once the sole hardwood choice – a choice that didn’t really work in all spaces.  Offering a great alternative to traditional hardwood is a more modern innovation: engineered hardwood.  While both are naturally sourced and boast a very similar look and feel, there are some major differences that are worth noting.

Made from solid wood planks, traditional solid hardwood has changed very little since last century. If situated and maintained appropriately, solid hardwood can last indefinitely and can be refinished as often as you like. Engineered hardwood, which is made from multiple wooden layers, is much denser than its solid cousin. Thanks to a protective coating, this is hardwood that can handle humidity, and it won’t warp when it gets wet. It can even be installed in finished basements, unlike solid hardwood.

Hardwood Species

Whether engineered or solid, your hardwood flooring is offered up in an ever-expanding list of assorted tree species. Are you partial to exotic and uncommonly beautiful woods, such as teak or mahogany? Or, perhaps you like to keep it more simple and traditional with oak and pine? Either way, there are tons of options to consider, with each one offering some unique assets and benefits.

Our Hardwood Flooring Selection

At Dick’s Carpet One Floor & Home in Oakland, CA we’re always eager to help our clients find hardwood flooring that will look stunning for years to come. Since we’re a proud member of the world’s largest collaborative of independently owned flooring stores, Carpet One Floor & Home, we can also offer you the buying power of over a thousand other shops around the continent. Visit us in Oakland soon, and explore our ever expanding inventory of engineered and solid hardwood flooring.