If you are interested in purchasing hardwood flooring there are many things to consider. What species of hardwood to buy, engineered vs solid, exotic or domestic and many others. For the purpose of this article I am going to talk about types of hardwood.
There are three main types of hardwood flooring. All of which have different applications. There is engineered, floating and solid nail down. Engineered floors are typically glued down to a concrete slab or stapled to a plywood sub-floor. Engineered floors are made of a cross ply construction (made like plywood) with a wood veneer laminated to the top (these floors also come unfinished). Most engineered floors can also be floated. Typically the thicker the top veneer, the more expensive the product will be.
Floating floors are installed over an under-layment or a pad. This type of flooring is not adhered to the sub-floor at all. It basically floats over the sub-floor. Both engineered and floating hardwoods can be installed above grade, on grade and below grade (basements). Floating floors also eliminate the need for costly adhesive. Floating floors provide for a quicker and cleaner installation, making it easier for consumers who want to do the work themselves. Most installers will charge less to float a floor, than a glue down installation.
Solid hardwood flooring is used strictly for nail down application to a plywood sub-floor. Nail down floors comes both prefinished or unfinished. If you are thinking about using an unfinished product for a site finished floor, you may want to consider an unfinished engineered product. Especially if you have a concrete slab. Using this type of product will save you the cost of buying 3/4" plywood and the cost of the labor to put it down. Which ever type of hardwood you decide to purchase, it is sure to add value to your home and will last for many years to come.
Thanks
The Floor Man
There are three main types of hardwood flooring. All of which have different applications. There is engineered, floating and solid nail down. Engineered floors are typically glued down to a concrete slab or stapled to a plywood sub-floor. Engineered floors are made of a cross ply construction (made like plywood) with a wood veneer laminated to the top (these floors also come unfinished). Most engineered floors can also be floated. Typically the thicker the top veneer, the more expensive the product will be.
Floating floors are installed over an under-layment or a pad. This type of flooring is not adhered to the sub-floor at all. It basically floats over the sub-floor. Both engineered and floating hardwoods can be installed above grade, on grade and below grade (basements). Floating floors also eliminate the need for costly adhesive. Floating floors provide for a quicker and cleaner installation, making it easier for consumers who want to do the work themselves. Most installers will charge less to float a floor, than a glue down installation.
Solid hardwood flooring is used strictly for nail down application to a plywood sub-floor. Nail down floors comes both prefinished or unfinished. If you are thinking about using an unfinished product for a site finished floor, you may want to consider an unfinished engineered product. Especially if you have a concrete slab. Using this type of product will save you the cost of buying 3/4" plywood and the cost of the labor to put it down. Which ever type of hardwood you decide to purchase, it is sure to add value to your home and will last for many years to come.
Thanks
The Floor Man
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