Top 5 Best Wood Flooring to Choose for Your Home

Wood flooring upgrades your home and can work well everywhere, whether it is a traditional or modern area. You can select from many hardwood types like Hickory, Oak, Ash, or Maple.

Different types of hardwood floors have different properties. It would be best to opt for wood flooring options that suit your daily life and financial plan.

You must pay attention to the grade, finish, thickness of the board, and species for top-quality hardwood flooring. Engineering wood flooring is more reasonable than other wood floorings.

Before spending money on different types of flooring, read all the information about the top-quality hardwood flooring given in this article.

Things to Consider Before Buying Engineered Wood Flooring

If you want durability, always opt for a thicker surface. In case of a too-thin surface layer, the refinishing and sanding will not be done. If any damage occurs, the only solution will be to replace it.
Consider an engineered wood flooring with an excellent plywood core. Engineered wood floors can bear moisture and temperature variations more than solid wood flooring types. A plywood engineered wood floor is more versatile.
A best-engineered wood flooring with more layers is more durable. This flooring must have 3 to 9 layers besides a plywood core. Your engineered wood floor will be most durable hardwood flooring if there are more layers of finish.
All engineered wood floors do not possess the same features. Select the one that suits your daily life and necessities. Its best example is a waterproof and scratch-resistant plank used in homes with pets and kids.

Types of Wood Flooring

There are different types of real wood flooring. Some of them are explained below.

Hickory

This type of wood is harder than ash, oak, and maple. Janka’s hardness scale measures it at 1,820.
Long-lasting and sturdy
Resistant to wear, humidity, and high traffic than all the other hardwoods
Quite light shade wood. For this reason, it can be colored in any shade
It can be waxed to get a cozy look and fight against moisture

Oak

The hardness of oak wooden floors differs by its sub-types. On Janka’s hardness scale, white oak measures 1,360 and live oak measures 2,680.
It takes a unique layer over time.
It has many colors ranging from white to dark red.
You can easily fix slight damage by using the DIY route

Ash

Its hardness is similar to Oak. Janka hardness scale measures it as 1,320
Easily bear temperature and moisture variations
Does not break with time
It can easily absorb any shock and is easy to walk on

Maple

It’s harder than ash and white oak. Janka hardness scale measures it at 1,450
Its light design and rough texture make it a great choice for modern homes
Easily accessible
Withstands slight scratches and damage from furniture’s legs

Cherry

It is particularly hard. Janka hardness scale measures it as 2,350
It can easily absorb any shock and is easy to walk on
Unique cozy red shades
Traditional, unbroken, smooth texture that looks good in traditional areas

Ebony

Ebony is amongst the hardest woods. Janka hardness scale measures it as 3,700
Different shades with dark brown to black shades that darken with time
Long-lasting and resistant to cuts and dents
Its thick surface makes it resistant to humidity damage

Bamboo

Janka hardness scale measures bamboo at 3,000
It is grass, not wood, but works in the same way as hardwood
It grows rapidly and is easily growing, so it is environmental-friendly, maintainable, and broadly available
It can be used with underfloor heating

Best Brands of Wood Flooring

Bruce – Best for Instant Accessibility and Returnability

Bruce is a competent brand of wood flooring. Many of its solid hardwood present traditional local oak. Its hand-scraped options are limited.

The unaffiliated companies, The Home Depot and Lowe’s, have nearly 4,000 stores and sell products of Bruce around the world. You can easily buy the flooring from bruce, wherever you live.

Companies of this brand can return extra flooring. Online shops take no delivery charges, but they will not take the product back for free.

Carlisle – Best for Plank Sizes

Carlisle is determined to change plank sizes so that every homeowner can get access to it.

The flooring of wide planks is more costly than solid wood floor 3 ¼-inch planks. Its milling is not easy because the cuts from the center of planks are needed.

This is a 40-year-old brand, and its finishes are hard and rough. Its site finishes are closed, and it can stick well to the wood.

Lumber Liquidators – Best for Cheap Wood Flooring

This brand is very inexpensive. Its prices are reasonable, and everyone can easily afford this glossy floor.

Lumber Liquidators brand sells prefinished solids and engineered hardwood flooring at affordable prices. Its quality is satisfactory.

Hearne Hardwoods – Best for High Quality

Hearne stores over 140 domestic and non-domestic hardwoods, some of which are unique. If it’s not in stock, Hearne may have it.

Hearne’s 67″ Solid Band Saw and Equally Wide Belt Sander do short work on most hardwood sizes. Like any premium product, you will pay the price, but that’s the real problem.

The Woods Company – Best for Recycled Solid Wood Flooring

Consumers do not trust many manufacturers of recycled wood floors. Whether it’s pre-millennial websites, outdated price lists, or incorrect product descriptions, it’s an open field that offers more possibilities.

It cuts the aged ground on the sides of the beams, where the wood is authentically aged for more than a century. Recycled hardwood floors are expensive.

Installation of Wood Flooring

Materials and Tools Required

Hardwood
Modular doorway system kit
Wood grout
Vapor blockade paper
Air-filled flooring package
Nail set
Staple gun
Drill bits
Hammer
Tape measure
Disjoin bar
Chop saw
Table saw
Ear protection
Goggles
Chalk line
Variable speed drill

How to Install a Hardwood Floor

Do-it-yourself specialists provide instructions for installing hardwood floors in a room.

To install for the room, select hardwood species and width of the board.
Find the length and width of the room and multiply for the square tape.
Examine the sub-floor. It must be a 3/4″ plywood. There must be no scraps on the floor.
Roll out sheets of vapor blockade paper, allow 4″ overlap, and connect to the sub-floor.
Begin the installation from the longest free wall. Take out the shoe molding, and draw a chalk line 3/8″ away from the baseboard.
Start by taking a long and straight board to the first row.
After installing the first few rows, drill pilot holes down into the tongue of each board.
Take an air-filled nail gun, and strike firmly with a hammer by placing the gun lip over the board’s edge.
While cutting the baseboards, Take a piece that will fit and cut it 10 or 12 inches more.
Always cut the wall end of the wood so that you do not cut off the groove that fits the tongue.
Drill pilot holes and hand-nail the boards until there is no more allowance for the drill and hammer.
In case of a narrow gap for the last board, take the measurement and cut the last board. Leave a 3/8″ gap at the end wall for expansion and reduction.
Substitute shoe molding and full grout in all nail holes.
Sweep regularly to keep the surface clean. Use an alcohol-based cleaner or a vacuum for hardwood floors.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Wood Flooring

Pros

Not affected by the passage of time.
can be refinished
long-lasting
Keep you safe from allergens
Requires low maintenance
Adds value to your home, no matter how damaged it is
Natural shades, textures, and hardwood grains improve your home’s atmosphere.
Environmentally friendly

Cons

Costly
Most wood floorings make noise
It feels cold in the winter

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Type of Wooden Flooring Is Best?

The best hardwood floors are made with wood species that are very hard. Oak flooring, maple flooring, and cherry flooring are all good choices.

What Type of Wood Flooring Lasts the Longest?

Hardwood lasts for decades as long as it is regularly refinished.

What Is the Most Scratch-Resistant Hardwood Flooring?

Hickory, Hard Maple, or White Oak can protect your floor from damage, as these hardwoods are less at risk of scratches than softer woods like pine, cherry, or black walnut.

What Is the Strongest Wooden Flooring?

The hardest wood for flooring is Ipe, but this is very hard to find due to its rarity. This also makes it very expensive. More widely available and strong are hickory and maple flooring.

What Are the Disadvantages of Engineered Wood Flooring?

Following are some of the drawbacks of engineered wood flooring:

With prolonged exposure to sunlight rays, engineered wood is at risk of fading
Dents and scratches easily
Poor moisture resistance
Basic construction is of poor quality
Costly
Maintenance requires
Presence of toxic chemicals

Is Engineered Hardwood Worth It?

Engineered hardwood has slightly better performance in moist locations since its plywood construction makes it more stable and less at risk of deforming. Engineered hardwood flooring is best against a concrete subfloor.

Is Thicker Engineered Wood Better?

If engineered wood flooring is to be laid in a high-traffic area, choose a thicker board. Choosing a thicker board will allow you to re-sand and re-finish the floor.

Why Do Engineered Wood Floors Squeak?

If you have engineered wood floors, the squeak might be caused by the floorboards rubbing against each other. Pour powdered graphite between the boards and lightly rub the product into the seams with a soft brush.

Does Engineered Wood Look Cheap?

Some engineered wood floors are fake and cheap compared to solid wood floors. But a quality engineered floor will look and feel exactly like a high-quality solid hardwood floor.

Conclusion

Natural hardwood floors are a long-term investment in your home. If properly cared for, they will last an average of decades. They require maintenance but add warmth to your space and make your home feel cozy and appealing.

You can achieve similar results with a material such as bamboo, cork, tile, or even concrete. But if you are eager to put in the hard work and are not scared of the initial cost, hardwood flooring is a good choice you will never regret.

I hope you will find the information given in this article helpful.