Solid wood floors are available in myriad species, stains, and finishes. Regardless of width or length, one piece of wood from top to bottom is considered solid wood flooring. These products can be sanded and finished more often than engineered woods, which because they are much thinner, can be sanded down only two or three times.
Because solid wood flooring – which in most cases is nailed down to a 3/4-inch exterior grade plywood – is finished on site, end users have unlimited possibilities for customizing their floor color. An unfinished fit can contain different types of species, which can be used for various elements in the floor. For example, designers can create an oak installation with a dark finish and use a border around the room in a lighter oak finish.
One of the characteristics of solid wood flooring is that it expands and contracts with changes in your home’s relative humidity. Normally, installers compensate for this movement by leaving an expansion gap between the floor and wall. Base molding or quarter round is traditionally used to hide the extra space.
Solid wood flooring is completely lumber. It is available in unfinished and pre-finished. Solid wood flooring is produced in :
- Strip – in thickness of 5/16″ to 3/4″ in widths of 1 1/2″, 2″, and 2 1/4″
- Plank – in thickness of 1/2″ or 3/4″ and widths of 3″ to 8″
- Parquet – geometrical patterns composed of individual wood slats held in place by a mechanical fastening or an adhesive
