Types, Styles & Species of Wood Floors

Types

Wood floors come in a variety of styles to meet the demands of today's busy lifestyles - factory finished, unfinished, solid, engineered, strip, plank, parquet, and acrylic impregnated. Choosing the style that is best for you is an important decision, and will be based on a variety of issues including your lifestyle, your decorating style, and the area in which you live. Our expert sales associates will be happy to assist you in selecting the right wood floor for your home and lifestyle.

Solid Flooring

All wood flooring, regardless of width or length, that is one piece of wood from top to bottom is considered solid flooring. Solid flooring gives you a great opportunity for customization. Your choice of species, stains and finishes all contribute to the personalization of a solid floor. This is an excellent choice in most areas of a home on the ground level or above.

Engineered Flooring

This wood flooring product consists of layers of wood pressed together, with the grains running in different directions. It is available in 3 and 5 ply. Engineered flooring is perfect for those areas of the house where solid wood flooring may not be suitable, such as basements, kitchens, powder rooms, and utility rooms. Because the grains run in different directions, it is more dimensionally stable than solid wood.

Styles of Wood Floors

Strip flooring

Strip flooring is linear flooring that is usually 2 1/4", 3", or 3 1/4" wide. It creates a linear effect in a room often promoting the illusion of a larger space.

Plank flooring

Plank flooring is also linear, however, it is wider in width. Common widths of plank flooring are 3", 4", 5", and 6".

Colors

Wood floors come in a rainbow of colors to fit any décor. You can achieve unique, one-of-a-kind looks with custom stains and finishes. And even if your floor is old, you can achieve an entirely new look with new stain and finishes. The possibilities are endless.

Species

Today's wood floors come in more than 50 species, both domestic and exotic, spanning the spectrum of color options, hardness, and price ranges. No matter what the look you want to achieve, there are a variety of species to meet your needs. Visit our showroom to view our extensive selection of hardwood from throughout the world.

Grades

The appearance of the wood determines its "grade." All grades are equally strong and serviceable, but each affords you a different look.

Clear

Clear wood is free of defects, though it may have minor imperfections.

Select

Select wood is almost clear, but contains some natural characteristics such as knots and color variations.

Common

Common wood (No. 1 and No. 2) has more natural characteristics such as knots and color variations than either clear or select grades, and often is chosen because of these natural features and the character they bring to a room. No. 1 Common has a variegated appearance, light and dark colors, knots, flags and wormholes. No 2 Common is rustic in appearance and emphasize all wood characteristics of the species.