Hardwood flooring has been a timeless staple in homes for many years. From traditional, contemporary or rustic, there are a few things to consider before purchasing flooring.
Consider the topics below from Carpet One to help you decide what kind of hardwood floor is best for your home.
Solid or Engineered?
It’s always good to understand the differences between the types of hardwood before you shop. Solid hardwood flooring is just what it sounds like. Each piece is a single piece of wood. It’s the simplest, purest form of hardwood flooring. It can be sanded and refinished to change the look without putting in a new floor.
Engineered hardwood is still made entirely from wood. The difference is that it is constructed from three to five layers of wood laminated together with grains running at different angles. The top layer is the layer of wood that you see. Engineered hardwood floors are more structurally sound so they can actually be installed in areas where solid wood flooring might not be an option – like a moist basement.
Species
Perhaps the most important indicators of how the floor looks are the species of wood and the stain color. The species of the wood will determine the characteristics of the hardwood floors’ grain that you see through the stain as well as the performance of your floor (especially if it’s a solid wood floor).
Stain Color
Hardwood floor stain color can make a big impact on the look of your floor. Light stains and extremely dark stains tend to go well with more modern décor
Medium tone hardwood like honey and cherry work well with more traditional styles. Of course, there are always exceptions to these rules.
Plank Size
Plank size refers to the width of each piece of wood in your floor. Plank sizes vary from 2-1/4” to 6” and wider. Narrow planks (or strips) tend to have a more traditional and formal look. They also can make a small room feel larger. Wider planks are a little more casual and rustic. If you’re looking to make a large space feel more intimate, wide planks may be right for you.
Gloss
Do you want your floors to have that shiny, wet look or something a little more matte? A shiny look will be more formal while less gloss tends to create a more casual look.
This high gloss floor fits well in a more traditional home. High gloss hardwood floors bounce light off the sheen, which can also make the room look brighter
A low gloss floor looks great in a more casual space. It’s also more natural looking, so it’s ideal for achieving the perfect rustic style. Matte hardwood floors hide scratches which makes them perfect for homes with pets and kids.
Whether you want the perfect modern, contemporary, rustic, or traditional home, there’s a hardwood flooring options out there for you. Want to find more inspiration? See more hardwood inspiration on Pinterest.
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This article is brought to you by McCall’s Carpet One.
McCall’s Carpet One is Franklin’s locally-owned carpet, flooring & tile center with free estimates and local installation of carpet, hardwood flooring, kitchen and bath tile – plus furniture and appliances by DT McCall’s in the back! Everything home, all in one place – all at great, low prices!
Visit McCall’s low-budget showroom 
on Franklin Rd next to The Factory in Franklin, or click for a free in-home estimate.
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