How Many Different Kinds of Wood Floors Are There?
Truth be told, there are a lot of different wood flooring types out there. Some are more cost-effective, others are more durable, and others are easier to sand down and restore in the future. As wood flooring has become a staple in many Albuquerque homes, it’s important to know the difference between the types. We are here to help you! N-Hance Wood Refinishing of Albuquerque knows a thing or two about wood flooring and we want to share our knowledge with you. Here is a quick breakdown of the main types of wood flooring.
Solid or Hardwood Flooring
These are planks that come directly from a tree so they are solid and hard. The most common species are cherry, oak, maple, and mahogany. Because they are so solid, they are very durable and well protected from normal wear and tear from day-to-day living. Solid hardwood floors can also be sanded down and refinished several times throughout their lifetime to erase years of damage that has become clearly visible. A major drawback is the price and complex process required to install a hardwood floor, especially a more exotic species like mesquite. They are also susceptible to shape-changing and warping when shifting from wet to dry. But these visibly stunning floors will be well worth the effort to install and maintain if you choose to do so.
Engineered or Manufactured
This is slightly cheaper than solid wood flooring. The planks are built up of layers of wood with the top layer being a few millimeters thick to allow for refinishing. The life of these floors maybe a little shorter than a solid floor, but they’re still easy to restore and a fairly durable flooring option for any home.
Laminate
These are very similar to engineered floors. The big difference is that the layers are made up of wood fibers so though it’s technically still a wood floor, it isn’t quite as durable. Especially because the surface of a laminate floor is typically just a photo of wood grain/texture to make it look as much like the real thing as possible. Laminate is a very cheap option to create a beautiful looking floor for your kitchen or bathroom. The hard part is that it wears down quickly, and it can be nearly impossible to fix the damage because you can’t sand most laminate floors. But near impossible doesn’t mean you’re totally out of luck. If you go with a laminate floor, be sure to keep us in mind once it starts getting scratched up and damaged. Our crew here at N-Hance Wood Refinishing of Albuquerque has developed a way to refinish wood floors that doesn’t require sanding.
Bamboo
The craziest thing about bamboo wood is that it’s actually a grass. This makes it a more green option for environmentally conscious homeowners because it’s much easier to regrow bamboo than a full tree. Bamboo floors are also highly moisture resistant and extremely durable. But like any wood floor they do will eventually get scratched and dinged. Similar to laminate flooring, bamboo floors are difficult to sand making refinishing very difficult to perform for any service that isn’t an N-Hance franchise.
Cork
Cork is another environmentally friendly option for floors. That’s because cork wood is very renewable and easy to produce. A cork floor is also very durable and absorbs the shock of foot traffic well. It actually even absorbs sound which makes it attractive for people living in noiser neighborhoods here in Albuquerque. But similar to bamboo, cork is difficult to sand and actually quite expensive to install.
Wood Floor Refinishing in Albuquerque, NM
Whether or not you’re thinking about installing or refinishing a wood floor, we hope that we’ve been able to help you in making a decision. It’s important to note that every wood floor will need to be replaced or restored at some point so please keep us in mind when that time comes. We offer one of the best wood floor refinishing systems in the Albuquerque area that can be easily adapted for virtually any type of wood flooring. Just give us a call at (505) 314-1997 for more information.