Installing new hardwood floors in your home or business is an investment that you’ll enjoy for many years. As such, you want to be confident in your selection, so you have several important questions to ask: Which colour and style suits the space? Do I want solid or engineered? And what about cost?
Colour and style
“The most important elements are colour and style,” says Blair Fenton, Manager of End of the Roll Flooring Centre in Courtenay. “Hardwood is absolutely beautiful, and will add to any home, but you need to know what you’re looking for first.”
Do you want wide-plank or narrow, for example? A sleek look or something more rustic?
Once you know the look, it’s easier to see how the various options will work in your home – including choosing solid or engineered hardwood.
“If it’s your first time using hardwood, you may think that it’s easy to refinish the wood to change the look if you don’t like it,” Fenton says. “Although that’s somewhat true with solid hardwood, it doesn’t come with all the benefits of an engineered hardwood product – namely cost and stability.”
Construction
The biggest difference between solid and engineered hardwood is in their construction.
Solid hardwood is just that – one piece of solid wood – and engineered hardwood is a thinner layer of wood, with an engineered base similar to a high-quality plywood.
“The engineered product is generally more stable, and less prone to cupping when the conditions aren’t perfect,” Fenton says. “They also come pre-finished with the final stain and look, while solid hardwood may come raw and unfinished, until installation.”
Acclimation
It’s necessary with all flooring to acclimate it to the space before installing, and this is especially true with wood products. The temperature and moisture of your home will be different from where the wood was manufactured and stored.
“We’ll deliver the flooring in advance so the wood can acclimate to your home before installation,” Fenton says. “If we don’t do this, there’s a high probability that after installation it will expand or shrink in a dramatic way – essentially ruining your flooring.”
Cost and budgeting
Much has been done in engineered hardwood to lower the cost while still providing a great looking floor. Engineered hardwood is almost always cheaper than solid hardwood – usually quite significantly.
“There’s a reason hardwood is one of the most popular types of flooring – it looks amazing!” Fenton says. “However, this look comes with a cost.
“Like all flooring, hardwood is not all created equal, so price depends on the look and quality of the product.”
Other options
There are many cases where using hardwood is not recommended. It needs tight humidity and temperature controls to remain looking good, with no issues.
“It also scratches quite easily, so we don’t often recommend it for a high-traffic environment,” Fenton says. “The great news is that many non-hardwood products like laminate and luxury vinyl can look just as good, and are far more durable.
“Drop in and we can show you a few options that just might have you believing they’re hardwood!”
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