Choosing the Right Type of Flooring

The most common ​hardwood floor in Colorado Springs is red oak. This is a very stable wood (meaning that it expands and contracts very little), is of medium hardness, and more affordable than most other woods. As with all the woods we install, red oak is available in pre-finished or site-finished. Other woods we have installed include: maple, hickory, walnut, ash, white oak, american cherry and brazilian cherry. All of these hardwoods have their own distinctive looks and characteristics. We install engineered and laminate flooring as well.

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So, what kind of floor is right for you? The good news is that there is a whole range of flooring options for you to choose from. The bad news is that it's more difficult than ever to figure out which option is right for you. Here are some of the basic options available today with a list of pros and cons for each:
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SOLID HARDWOOD
Pros:

• It's the real thing! It's been around for centuries.
• Solid hardwood can be finished numerous times providing a floor that will likely outlive the homeowner
• Unfinished hardwood can be "worked" in the installation process to include decorative accents and borders and provides the smoothest and most seamless of all products
• Solid hardwood floors are considered by many to be the most aesthetically pleasing
• According to a majority of realtors, solid hardwood flooring adds value to your home and helps it to sell faster
• A wide range of selection is available including many African and South American hardwoods
• The customer can choose between pre-finished products and site-finished products

Cons:

• Depending on the tastes and selection of the customer as well as the kind of installation, solid hardwood can be a costly option
• A site-finished installation can be very messy and take roughly twice as long to finish
• The finish on a site-finished floor is not as durable as an engineered finish as there are 2-3 coats applied as opposed to 5-7 coats and the finishing products and processes are not as high of a quality
• Solid hardwood is rarely a good choice for below grade installation
• Solid hardwood is more prone to problems with temperature and humidity variations

ENGINEERED FLOORING
Engineered floors are what the name suggests. They are produced in a controlled environment and "engineered" to precise and consistent specifications. The top layer of an engineered floor is real wood and generally about 1/8 inch thick. There are 3-5 wood layers beneath the top layer. The grains of these layers are criss-crossed to provide a stable product that resists expansion and contraction.
Pros:

• Engineered floors look and feel like real wood since that's what they are
• They are pre-finished so that there is very little mess during installation
• Engineered floors come with an extremely hard finish which often carries a 25-year warranty
• Most engineered floors can be refinished at least once
• There is a wide range of selection with regard to the type of wood including many exotic woods
• There are a variety of options for installation including nail down, glue down and floating (the floor is not adhered to the sub-floor). In addition, engineered floors can be installed above grade, at grade or below grade.
• Engineered floors generally increase the value of your home

Cons:

• Engineered floors are not solid. This is only a disadvantage for those who are set on a solid floor
• Engineered floors can be quite pricey though the installation is fairly straight forward and less costly than site-finished floors
• Refinishing of engineered floors is usually limited to one time as the top veneer is only around 1/8 inch thick in most case.

LAMINATE FLOORING
Laminate floors are made from synthetic materials. An actual picture of real wood is imposed on the laminate surface giving it an "authentic" look. A good eye can distinguish however, between laminate and real wood.
Pros:

• The costs for both materials and installation are less than the cost for real wood
• Laminate can be a good choice for do-it-yourselfers who do not insist on real wood
• Laminate can be installed over virtually any type of sub-floor and works well below grade (basements)
• There is very little mess with the installation of laminate
• Laminates come in a range of quality ratings and typically offer 5-25 year warranties

Cons:

• Laminate flooring is an imitation of the real thing and will probably not satisfy those who are set on having real wood
• Laminate floors do not offer the solid feel beneath one's feet that comes with solid hardwood
• Laminate floors cannot be sanded or refinished. When they're worn out, they must be replaced
• Laminate floors do not add value to your home

​Call us for a personal, free consultation on which kind of flooring might be right for you: 719-262-9663