If you're looking to install hardwood flooring in your house and started to look into what options available in market it might be sometimes difficult or confusing as to what to choose. We'll here provide some brief information regarding wood flooring in general to make this process a little easier! Don't hesitate to call us at AlpharettaFloors if you need any assistance or help.
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One important factor when deciding on choosing your new hardwood flooring is the construction of wood flooring. Hardwood floors are made as solid wood or engineered wood floors. The difference between two is the structure and they way they are made. There is also difference in their method of installation.
As the name suggest, solid wood floors are milled directly from wood lumbers at the mills. In brief once the trees are harvested from forests, in lumber mills they are debarked, sorted based on species, sizes, grade etc. They are then cut into workable lumber and sizes. They are then kiln dried to bring moisture content level down to an acceptable level to prevent the problems than can happen by extra moisture. Once the lumber reaches the required moisture content they are then cut and milled to specific wood flooring standards. Solid wood flooring is usually milled to be 3/4" thick. Sometimes they can also be made at 1/2" or 5/8" but the most common is 3/4" thick. The width can vary. Common widths in the market are 2-1/4", 3-1/4", 4" and 5". You can find wider planks as well but the latter might be more found as custom order.
Engineered hardwood flooring is a type of wood flooring that takes some processes to be made - once the lumber is ready for milling- as opposed to solid which is milled directly from hardwood lumber. In simple term it's a plywood construction as backing and the actual veneer of wood glues/fused on the surface of plywood backing. Backing construction can be 3-ply, 5 ply, 7 ply etc.
As the name suggest, solid wood floors are milled directly from wood lumbers at the mills. In brief once the trees are harvested from forests, in lumber mills they are debarked, sorted based on species, sizes, grade etc. They are then cut into workable lumber and sizes. They are then kiln dried to bring moisture content level down to an acceptable level to prevent the problems than can happen by extra moisture. Once the lumber reaches the required moisture content they are then cut and milled to specific wood flooring standards. Solid wood flooring is usually milled to be 3/4" thick. Sometimes they can also be made at 1/2" or 5/8" but the most common is 3/4" thick. The width can vary. Common widths in the market are 2-1/4", 3-1/4", 4" and 5". You can find wider planks as well but the latter might be more found as custom order.