Picking just the right type of hardwood floor
Published: August 2, 2012
So you’ve narrowed down flooring options and decided you want hardwood floor for your Indianapolis home. Great choice! It’s easy to maintain and adds timeless value to any room. What you didn’t realize is that your decision is just the tip of the iceberg – there are many types of hardwood floors, styles and finishes from which to choose. How do you decide? Which one is just right for that great room in Carmel? The den in Avon? Or the family room in Fishers?
Don’t worry. The experts at Kermans Flooring can help. Our showroom is staffed with design consultants that will help you make the best choice for your lifestyle – and their services are available at no additional cost. But before you visit our showroom, let us help you narrow down your options.
Hardwood floor options
Before you start looking through this list, make a note of how you’ll be using the room in which you want hardwood floors. What is the color of existing woodwork? How about traffic patterns through the room? Now you’re ready to choose a style that looks good and fits your home.
SOLID HARDWOOD
Typically milled from a ¾ inch thick piece of hardwood. It can be sanded and refinished for a lifetime of use. You can choose between domestic and exotic wood species giving you a wide selection of colors and grain patterns. Most common types of wood floors are Ash, Cherry, Maple, Oak and Pine.
ENGINEERED WOOD
Engineered wood floors are generally manufactured with 2, 3 or 5 thin sheets of wood that are laminated together to form one plank. This cross-ply construction creates a wood floor that is dimensionally stable and less affected by moisture than a traditional solid wood floor. Cross-ply construction stops the plank from growing or shrinking with changes in humidity. Another key advantage is versatility. Most engineered floors can be nailed down, stapled down, glued down or floated over a wide variety of subfloors, including some types of existing flooring and concrete slabs.
CORK
Cork represents a special kind of flooring because it comes from a harvested resource (only the bark is harvested from the tree). Cork floors are made from the waste cork that makes wine stoppers. Cork is appealing to many homes today because it is a renewable resource; a recycled product and with water-based finishes and adhesives creates a long lasting, comfortable floor.
BAMBOO
A relative newcomer to the natural flooring market, bamboo is a grass that regenerates faster than wood making it an excellent green-friendly product. The hardness varies a bit more than wood but offers a similar look and feel.
LAMINATE
Today’s laminate floors are available in a multitude of designs, patterns, and textures, yet they all consist of four main components that are bonded together. On top of these layers is a final wear layer that provides protection and wear resistance able to stand up to even the most active households.
Want to learn more? Check out our Hardwood Buyer’s Guide.
Now you’re ready to visit our Indianapolis showroom. Talk to our design consultants. And while you’re there – take advantage of our current hardwood floor sale:
Hardwood Special
This month’s Kermans Advantage is 5” Engineered Hand Scrapped Birch or Hickory hardwood for $5.98 installed as nailed, stapled or floated.