All About Hardwood

Wood floors not only enhance the look of your home, they are also more sanitary. Studies have shown that wood flooring provides a healthier environment for allergy sufferers than other flooring options, such as carpet, because dirt and bacteria have no place to burrow, and with simple regular maintenance, such as sweeping, vacuuming or dust mopping, they're easy to maintain.

Wood floors also help increase your home's resale value. In fact, a national survey of real estate agents revealed that houses with wood flooring hold their value better, sell faster and command higher prices than houses without wood floors.

Although it is now possible to install wood floors anywhere in your home, which types of wood flooring you install will depend on your budget and where you'd like to put them.

• Solid Flooring -
  All wood flooring, regardless of width or length, which is one piece of wood from top to bottom, is considered to be solid flooring. Although it provides you with a greater opportunity for customization and can be refinished multiple times, solid flooring is not recommended for areas of the house where moisture or temperature fluctuate, such as basements, kitchens or bathrooms. Depending on what species of wood you choose, solid flooring can also be more expensive than some other options.
• Engineered Flooring -
  This wood flooring product consists of several layers of wood pressed together in opposite directions to form a more dimensionally stable product than solid wood. It is ideal for high-moisture areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms.

If you choose to install solid wood floors in your home, the next step will be to decide between prefinished and unfinished floors.

Unfinished floors are stained and finished with polyurethane in your house after installation. Although this helps you fine-tune stain choices before you commit to a color, unfinished floors also require more time and labor.

Prefinished floors are sanded, stained and finished in the factory under controlled conditions before they are installed in your home. Once they're installed, no further work is needed before you can reinstall furniture and begin to enjoy your room.

When it comes to choosing a species of wood for your new flooring. It's important to look at several factors, including appearance, durability and cost.

Species of Wood
Birch -- A stiff wood with excellent shock resistance.
Pecan/Hickory -- Combines strength, hardness, durability and stiffness.
Heart Pine -- Often used for flooring, this wood can be distressed to create an antique look.
American Cherry -- One of America's favorite woods, prized for its color and grain.
Walnut -- An elegant, dark wood used to create stylish designs.
Ash -- Renowned for its toughness and resilience.
Oak -- An American classic, the most popular wood flooring choice.
Maple -- A dense, strong, tough wood used to create stylish designs.
Brazillian Cherry -- A highly resillient wood that changes color over time.
Mahogany -- A deep, rich and strong wood with dark accents.