Wood flooring is attractive, durable and timeless. A Hudson, WI home buyer who would like to have a home with hardwood or a homeowner who is thinking about installing hardwood in their home should be aware of the different options. If you’re a homeowner, here’s what you need to know.

1. Solid Hard Wood

Solid hard wood is the traditional form of wood plank flooring. Solid hardwood has been found in home flooring for centuries. If properly maintained, solid hardwood can be long-lasting and beautiful.

Advantages of hardwood flooring include:

• Can be refinished many times.
• Can change color as the stain or seal is changed.
• Has an attractive grain that gives the floor character.
• Adds value to the home.

There are different species of hardwood floors for homes. Knowing the most common species and the differences between them can help you decide which type of wood is right for you.

Oak

Oak wood flooring is one of the most popular wood species for flooring. It is durable and attractive, with a grain that varies in appearance. Oak accepts stain well, and can be stained light or dark, depending on the desires of the homeowner.

Walnut

With a darker, richer color than many other types of wood, walnut wood is known for its gray-brown tint, which can easily be stained to an even richer, coffee-like brown. Walnut is not as hard as some other types of hard wood, and may become scratched easily over time.

Maple

Maple is frequently a light cream or tan color, with dark streaks in its fine grain. Maple often has a reddish tint. Its dense grain often does not accept stain easily, so most people leave this floor in its natural light blond color.

Sealing

No matter what kind of wood is used and what sort of stain might be applied to the wood, it’s important for hardwood to be sealed with polyurethane. This popular chemical sealer blocks moisture and prevents the wood from rotting.

2. Engineered Wood

Engineered wood is a man-made product made from many layers of wood, and topped finally with a layer of wood veneer on top. Engineered wood is less expensive than standard wood, but is also less durable because it cannot stand up to refinishing. Homeowners like engineered wood because it can be installed on basically any flat surface and can often be installed as a DIY project.

3. Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed wood is becoming more popular all the time as a wood flooring product. Reclaimed wood is wood that comes from any previously built structure. This type of wood has all the character of an old piece of wood, including scratches and stains it may have obtained in its previous life.

Many people like the old character of reclaimed wood and will make an effort to leave those scratches and marks in place. Reclaimed wood is sometimes less expensive, and is definitely more environmentally friendly than other types of wood.

Contact Your Wood Flooring Contractor

If you’re a homeowner who would like to install hardwood floor in your home, it’s important to work with a hardwood floor contractor and installer. Your hardwood floor installer can install the flooring properly to ensure your floor will be enduring and long-lasting.