Solid Hardwood Flooring

Solid Hardwood Flooring Guide

If you're seeking a flooring option that offers timeless beauty, durability, and adds value to your home, solid hardwood flooring is worth considering. When deciding on the type of flooring to install, understanding the features, benefits, and considerations of solid hardwood flooring can help inform your decision.

What is Solid Hardwood Flooring?


Solid hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of wood cut into planks. These planks typically range in thickness from 3/4" to 5/16" and are available in a variety of widths and lengths. This type of flooring offers a classic aesthetic and long-lasting durability, provided it is maintained correctly.

Popular wood species for solid hardwood flooring include oak, maple, cherry, walnut, and exotic species like mahogany, teak, or Brazilian cherry. Each species offers unique colors, grain patterns, and hardness levels.

Benefits of Solid Hardwood Flooring

  • Beauty and Versatility: Hardwood floors offer a classic, elegant look that complements virtually any interior design style. They're available in a variety of colors, finishes, and wood species, allowing you to customize the appearance to match your home's aesthetics.
  • Durability: Hardwood floors are known for their longevity. When properly maintained, they can last for decades, and unlike other flooring types, they can be refinished multiple times, extending their life even further.
  • Improved Indoor Air Quality: Hardwood floors don't trap dust, pollen, or other allergens, making them a healthier choice for those with allergies or asthma.
  • Adds Value to Your Home: Hardwood floors are often sought after by homebuyers, adding significant value to your home. They're seen as an investment that pays off in the long run.

Considerations When Choosing Solid Hardwood Flooring


While solid hardwood flooring has many benefits, there are several factors to consider before installation:

  • Cost: Solid hardwood flooring can be more expensive than other flooring options, both in terms of material cost and installation.
  • Maintenance: While hardwood floors are durable, they require regular cleaning and maintenance to keep them looking their best. They can also be susceptible to scratches and dents, especially in high-traffic areas or homes with pets.
  • Sensitivity to Moisture: Hardwood flooring isn't ideal for areas prone to moisture, such as bathrooms or basements, as excess moisture can lead to warping or buckling.
  • InstallatioIn: nstalling hardwood floors is a skilled job, usually best left to professionals. It also requires a flat, stable subfloor.

Solid Hardwood Flooring Vs. Engineered Hardwood


While both solid and engineered hardwood offer the warm, beautiful look of real wood, there are distinct differences.

Solid hardwood is a single, solid piece of wood, while engineered hardwood is made up of multiple layers of wood, with a veneer of real hardwood on top. This construction makes engineered wood more stable and less prone to shrinkage or expansion due to changes in humidity or temperature.

However, one of the biggest advantages of solid hardwood is its ability to be sanded and refinished multiple times, while engineered hardwood can only be refinished a limited number of times depending on the thickness of the top layer.

Conclusion


Solid hardwood flooring is an excellent choice for homeowners seeking a long-lasting, beautiful flooring option. Its classic appeal, durability, and potential to increase property value are unmatched. While it does require a higher upfront investment and proper care, the payoff in the long run is worth considering. Remember to consider factors like the room's usage, location, and your budget before making a decision. As always, consult with a professional to help guide you in making the right flooring choice for your home.


Solid Hardwood Flooring

Top 8 Types of Solid Hardwood Flooring


Exotic Hardwood Flooring

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Exotic Hardwood Flooring

Exotic wood flooring ranges from Brazilian Cherry to Tigerwood and many, many other spices. Exotic hardwood floors can be a bit more costly than domestic wood flooring but its offers something unique and interesting.

See our collection exotic hardwood flooring brands like Mannington Hardwood Flooring, Armstrong Hardwood Flooring, Mirage Hardwood Floors, Mullican Hardwood Flooring, ARK Floors , and more... Click below to see our whole selection of exotic hardwood flooring brands!

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Parquet Flooring

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Parquet Flooring

Parquet flooring is a timeless option that brings warmth and character to any home. Wood parquet flooring offers a mosaic of inlaid wood tile forming repeating squares and triangular patterns from short strips of wood.

See our collection parquet flooring brands like Armstrong Hardwood Flooring, Hartco® Wood Flooring, and more... Click below to see our whole selection of parquet flooring brands!

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Antique Wood Flooring

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Antique Wood Flooring

Antique wood flooring is created from salvaging the wood from old buildings, barns and rural structures. Antique beams, dimensional lumber, and siding are reclaimed and transformed into flooring retaining their rustic character.

See our collection antique wood flooring brands like Nydree Flooring, Aged Woods®, and more... Click below to see our whole selection of antique wood flooring brands!

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Hand Scraped Wood Floors

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Hand Scraped Wood Floors

Hand-scraping is the most-common distressing technique used to achieve a worn look. Distressing offers an antiqued appearance.

See our collection hand scraped wood floors brands like Bruce Hardwood Flooring, Mannington Hardwood Flooring, Armstrong Hardwood Flooring, Mullican Hardwood Flooring, Somerset Hardwood Flooring, and more... Click below to see our whole selection of hand scraped wood floors brands!

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Acrylic Impregnated

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Acrylic Impregnated

Acrylic-impregnated wood flooring offers superior performance while capturing the natural beauty and distinction of wood. This is achieved by infusing acrylic with organic color pigments into various wood species.

See our collection acrylic impregnated brands like Nydree Flooring, and more... Click below to see our whole selection of acrylic impregnated brands!

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Hardwood Strip Flooring

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Hardwood Strip Flooring

Hardwood strip flooring is a beautiful product that gives a room a nostalgic feel of 1940s and 50s. Unlike other types of hardwood flooring, this hardwood flooring uses narrower strips to provide a stylish look to any home.

See our collection hardwood strip flooring brands like Armstrong Hardwood Flooring, Lauzon Hardwood Flooring, Boen Hardwood Flooring, Barlinek Wood Flooring, and more... Click below to see our whole selection of hardwood strip flooring brands!

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Hardwood Plank Flooring

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Hardwood Plank Flooring

Hardwood plank flooring can easily change the look of any open floor plan. Accent your hardwood plank flooring with area rugs and runner rugs to bring additional color, comfort and a lived-in look to your home.

See our collection hardwood plank flooring brands like Mannington Hardwood Flooring, Armstrong Hardwood Flooring, Mirage Hardwood Floors, Mercier Wood Flooring, Kraus Hardwood Floors, and more... Click below to see our whole selection of hardwood plank flooring brands!

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Distressed Wood Flooring

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Distressed Wood Flooring

The hand scraped look of distressed hardwood flooring is an excellent option. It will provide a unique and rustic look to any room and hold up in high traffic areas by hiding normal wear and tear, like scuff marks and scratches.

See our collection distressed wood flooring brands like Bruce Hardwood Flooring, Mannington Hardwood Flooring, Armstrong Hardwood Flooring, Johnson Hardwood Flooring, ARK Floors , and more... Click below to see our whole selection of distressed wood flooring brands!

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Featured Brands

The Best 10 Solid Hardwood Flooring Brands


Bruce Hardwood Flooring
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Bruce Hardwood Flooring

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Hardwood flooring can be an ideal flooring choice for just about any area of your home. Bruce hardwood floors are available in many colors and looks to match any style and decor. Browse our wood flooring to find wood floor that's perfect for you. Learn More
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Mannington Hardwood Flooring
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Mannington Hardwood Flooring

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Mannington hardwood floors are inspired by global influences, but interpreted with American home furnishing trends in mind. Choose from any collection for designs that look great and perform beautifully. Learn More

Armstrong Hardwood Flooring
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Armstrong Hardwood Flooring

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Expertly crafted using the finest domestic and exotic hardwoods. From the rustic, old-world charm of hand-scraped hardwoods to the more classic, traditional hardwood floors sanded to smooth perfection. Learn More

Mirage Hardwood Flooring
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Mirage Hardwood Flooring

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The Herringbone Collection, different shapes that create unusual patterns. Equal lengths to make symmetry come to life. Learn More
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Mercier Hardwood Flooring
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Mercier Hardwood Flooring

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Red Oak (Quercus rubra) has a distinctive, textured grain with clearly visible growth rings. Its colour ranges from a slightly pinkish beige to a reddish brown. The colour of Red Oak moderately changes over time becoming lightly amber in hue. This wood has a Janka hardness rating of 1290. Learn More

Monterey Hardwood Collection
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Monterey Hardwood Collection

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Ranchero Hickory – The Monterey Hardwood Collection was designed with a historical, European influence making it simply savvy & perfect for today’s trends. This collection captures the beauty of nature, developed using tomorrow’s technology to create a new demand for random width planks. Learn More
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Johnson Hardwood Flooring
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Johnson Hardwood Flooring

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Reflective of the Blue Ridge Mountains and warm autumn toned leaves, our Blue Ridge Collection offers a subtle design statement. Hand selected, character grade hardwoods featuring four distinct color visuals with a unique mix of naturally occurring knots and mineral streaks. Learn More
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Vintage Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
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Vintage Prefinished Hardwood Flooring

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Vintage ensures manufacturing is in compliance with all applicable laws to minimize the harmful effects of manufacturing on the environment. All Vintage finishes are 99% VOC and formaldehyde free. Learn More

Kraus Hardwood Flooring
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Kraus Hardwood Flooring

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Kraus started to spread its wings into global economy in 1980's with a dedicated sales team for the expanding overseas market. Consistent attention has developed a strong customer base in over 35 countries. Learn More

Kentwood Hardwood Floors
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Kentwood Hardwood Floors

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The Kentwood Collection, an exclusive selection of real wood floors that combine the beauty and character of exotic and specialty woods with state-of-the-art milling, manufacturing and finishing techniques to create floors of exceptional beauty, quality and value. Learn More
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Solid Hardwood Flooring Videos

The Top 2 Solid Hardwood Flooring Videos


Mannington Hardwood ScratchResist(TM)
Mannington hardwood Floors come with Scratch Resist technology - ScratchResist keeps floors looking newer longer

Made in South Pittsburg: Shaw Hardwood Flooring
By: Latricia Thomas A local company that's known for its carpet is taking the hardwood flooring world by storm with their engineered product called Epic. When you see Shaw trucks on the Interstate, you might assume they're carrying carpet.Shaw's Vice President of Hard Surface Business Development Scott Sandlin says, We're becoming more than just a carpet company and it gives people a lot of opportunity.

Solid Hardwood Flooring News

Latest Solid Hardwood Flooring News

Solids Hardwood Flooring
...TRIÂNGULO® Exotic Solid wood flooring is fabricated from 3/4″ thick solid wood and has tongue and groove sides to join the boards. The truly random nature of our exotic solid hardwood flooring will ensure that no application will look alike. The Triangulo crystal clear pre-finishing process applies as many as 9 coats of Aluminum Oxide for maximum durability and enhanced beauty. L...
Ultimate Guide to Hardwood Flooring
...tion! Before you decide on hardwood, here's what you need to know. Hardwood Flooring Options There are three types of hardwood floors available to you: Solid Hardwood FlooringSolid hardwood flooring is a solid piece of wood from top to bottom. The most popular species are oak, maple, hickory, and brazilian cherry hardwood flooring.
Solid Hardwood vs. Engineered Wood
...c="https://www.armstrongflooring.com/content/dam/armstrongflooring/residential/images/product-structure/hardwood_solid_illustration.jpg" style="float: right" width="150">Many homeowners aspire to own solid hardwood flooring for its authenticity, timelessness and durability. Our solid hardwood flooring is constructed with 100% hardwood and each plank is a single solid piece. At Armstrong Fl...
Engineered Wood Flooring
...bout any room of the house.  Engineered wood flooring has many advantages over solid hardwood that make it very appealing. For one thing, engineered wood flooring is not as expensive as solid hardwood flooring. Engineered is actually produced with three to five layers of wood with the top layer being the genuine hardwood. Each layer is stacked in a cross-grain configuration and b...
Solid Hardwood Flooring
...Solid Hardwood Flooring: A Timeless Choice in Modern Interior Design In the ever-evolving world of interior design, solid hardwood flooring stands as a testament to both tradition and modernity. Its timeless elegance, combined with a range of versatile options, makes it a favored choice among interior designers, decorators, and design consultants. This article delves into the t...