The choice of flooring is one of the most important decisions a homeowner will make when taking on a renovation or building a new home. Not all hardwood flooring is created equal, and selecting a product isn’t simply a matter of choosing a preferred color. A range of other factors can have an impact on both looks and performance….

Solid or Engineered Flooring? Traditionally, hardwood flooring came in thick planks of solid timber. Today, solid hardwood is still widely available, but many companies also offer engineered flooring—planks made with a thinner top layer of hardwood, bonded to other layers designed to prevent the floor from shifting during expansion and contraction cycles.

With concrete subfloors, engineered flooring offers an installation advantage. Whereas solid wood is generally installed over one or two layers of plywood, engineered flooring can be glued directly to concrete, or over a soundproofing mat. It’s also suitable for installation over radiant heat. But choose carefully because some engineered floors have top layers so thin that they can’t be sanded and refinished in the future. Higher-quality products feature a thicker top layer which provides nearly the same amount of usable wood as a solid board.

Wood types:

Oak -In North America, oak is the the number one hardwood flooring -and for good reasons. It's incredibly durable and only gets better with time. It takes stain very well and it also has an appealing natural grain. Oak is available most places, leading to reasonable prices. In design circles, white oak is especially popular, because it doesn’t have the pinkish tones of red oak.

Walnut is another popular choice. While slightly softer than oak, it has a deep color that makes it ideal for rooms where a darker finish is desired -it has a warmer, richer tone.

Other North American hardwoods include hickory, cherry, maple, and ash. The choice largely comes down to personal preference in terms of color and grain.

Plank width. There was a time when it seemed that almost all hardwood flooring was installed in two- to three-inch strips. You find this in most homes built in the 50’s and 60’s. These days most people use wider planks. Anything from 4” - 7” plank is pretty standard. But, keep in mind, wider planks don’t just look more expensive—they are more expensive.

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