Here are the Different Options You Have for Wood Flooring

Wood Flooring

Since wood flooring is so durable and beautiful by nature, it has long maintained a special place in the world of interior design. For centuries, this classic flooring choice has graced homes, from grand historic estates to contemporary urban lofts, consistently embodying a sense of warmth and sophistication.

Wood floor maintains its charm despite the introduction of innovative and advanced flooring materials. Its unique character and versatile style suggest its legacy is far from fading. But with time, this flooring option has also evolved, and today, we will discuss the best choice you can consider.

So are you ready?

Different Options You Have in Wood Flooring

  • Solid wood: Solid wood floors are made up of solid, wide planks of hardwood that are fitted together using the tongue and groove method. This hardwood is the longest-lasting kind of flooring but is also the most expensive. It should not be used in high-moisture sections of the house or on the ground floor of your floor plan because it is also susceptible to warping from humidity.
  • Engineered hardwood flooring: This type of flooring consists of a top layer of wood laid over a subfloor. Engineered flooring is slightly less expensive than solid wood. Compared to solid hardwood, it is more moisture and humidity-resistant, while not completely water-resistant. But remember, the regular sanding and refinishing of solid wood flooring is not possible with engineered wood flooring.
  • Bamboo flooring: Though technically a type of grass, bamboo is considered a wood due to its impressive hardness. Natural bamboo flooring has become a popular sustainable option because of its rapid regrowth, making it highly eco-friendly. As Howard explains, "You can cut it and have a fully mature tree in four years." Bamboo flooring is available in a range of colours, from manila/yellow tones to darker shades. The unique grain pattern, which includes visible nodes from the bamboo stalks, adds to its distinct appearance. Read more about the benefits of bamboo floors to discover why it might be the perfect choice for your home.

The above-listed options are all quite famous in Australia because of their unique characters. But the important aspect to remember here is every home has different requirements, so we advise you first to understand your needs and, for that, consider the following points:

  • Humidity and moisture resistance: The wood floor is strong enough and less vulnerable to heat, humidity, and moisture damage than engineered wood. But, still, in places where situations are extreme, like in the washing area, wood flooring won't stand for long. Thus, you need to choose alternatives like tile specially designed for humid spaces.
  • Hardness: Wood flooring is durable, but the durability of different wood species varies. For instance, Hardwoods (like Brazilian cherry or hickory are better suited for rooms with lots of heavy furniture and foot traffic. So, don't forget to consider these points.

The same problem also doesn’t exist with engineered flooring.

  • Photosensitivity: Wood colour changes when exposed to direct sunlight, including the natural light filtered through your windows. When choosing wood flooring for your home, consider how much sunlight your floors will receive. If your floors get a lot of direct sunlight, pick a type of wood with low photosensitivity. Cherry wood is the most photosensitive of all wood species, so avoid it if your room gets a lot of direct sunlight.

Summary

Wood flooring is expensive compared to other options but worth it because the look and feel of wood no other option can match.

If your budget restricts you from investing in solid wood, we listed a few other options that are ideal and cost-effective. So consider the above option: visit your nearby flooring store and decide if any match your expectations.