While we enjoy many more choices in types of flooring material these days than a few decades ago, wood is still the sturdiest, most flexible, and renewable flooring choice.
Wood floors always come up beautiful and can adapt to any type of décor. So, whether you are after a sleek modern look, country homestyle, or something more traditional, then you should check out your options at APEX Flooring as we offer many types of hardwood. Hardwood Flooring is incredibly versatile with its ability to add charm, warmth, and elegance to any room or home. Here we have listed a few of your choices in types of available wood flooring.
Unfinished Wood Flooring
All hardwood floors will require finishing before use, as the process creates a protective coat over the wood which seals it against the environment, as well as wear and tear.
When you choose to install unfinished wood flooring, the installer will sand the wood before applying the finish. We offer a unique dustless sanding method that will leave your home very clean and healthy. You will have a choice of several finishes to choose from, which is why an unfinished floor may be the best choice if you are going for a particular color, or you need to match the hardwood flooring already at the property.
Once the dustless sanding is complete, the wood is coated with several layers of protective finish. Unfinished flooring is also an excellent choice for kitchens as the finish penetrates the seams between the boards to create a seamless seal that blocks water from penetrating between the boards.
Factory-Finished Wood Flooring
Factory-finished wood flooring is the fastest way to have a Hardwood Floor Installed and ready to use. The sanding and finishing are completed at the factory before it is delivered, which means the flooring is complete and ready to walk on once it has been installed.
Another advantage to factory-finished flooring is that you don’t have the odors and VOCs which are present during the preparation and sealing of unfinished floors. Though our dustless sanding services make these much more manageable.
Solid Wood Flooring
Solid wood flooring is highly sought after for its durability as each plank is created from a single solid piece of wood. Before the wood is sawed, it is air or kiln dried before being cut in one of three ways – rift-sawn, quarter-sawn, and flat-sawn.
Once the timber has been cut to the required dimensions, it is then packed ready to be finished at the site or sent to a factory to be sanded and finished. Solid wood hardwood floors are manufactured almost exclusively to be tongue-and-groove for ease of installation.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Unlike solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring material is created from layers of wood glued together. The top layer is composed of 100% wood, and the middle layer is made up of 5 to 7 layers of plywood which are laid in a crisscross pattern to add strength. The bottom layer is also 100% wood.
Engineering hardwood flooring in this way creates a material which is incredibly stable as it won’t shift or contract with changes in temperature, moisture, or humidity.
If you are planning to add hardwood flooring to a basement then engineered wood flooring may be the perfect solution as it is easily laid over concrete and can handle the temperature changes created by basement heating systems.
The cheapest and most readily available hardwood floors are made from woods such as oak, maple, and cherry. Exotic species such as mahogany, teak, and Jarrah will always attract a premium price, but you also have other options for more variety in bamboo, ash, and walnut.
Whether you’re thinking about any of these options, Call APEX Flooring for premier service and quality hardwood flooring. Also, inquire about our Dustless Sanding option to leave your home clean and healthy.