Are you a homeowner excited to purchase a new wood floor but feel a little overwhelmed by all the choices these days? With HGTV and Houzz being at our fingertips, the options seem endless. Although a hardwood floor may look beautiful, we tend to overlook one key factor that will keep its’ beauty long-lasting!
We believe the most important question you should ask your supplier or contractor BEFORE purchasing is “How many times can this floor be refinished?”
There are 2 types of wood to choose from:
Solid hardwood flooring: a board that is made from 100% hardwood and each board is a single solid piece.
Engineered hardwood flooring:a man-made floor board that is made up of multiple layers. Both of these are available in various thicknesses or wear layers, so how do we determine what type of thickness is best for our home? The goal is the product’s lifespan, you want the long term value of selecting a wood flooring with thicker wear layer. Don’t go for the quick fix!
Why a thicker wear layer? This will allow you to sand the floor again in the future. After years of wear and tear, it’s nice to do a buff and coat or refinish the floors with a new fresh color. If you choose a floor with a thinner wear layer, in the future your wood floor can not be sanded again. This is a common oversight for homeowners, especially when choosing a 3/8″ pre-finished engineered floors. Key question to ask your supplier: “How many times can this type of floor can be refinished.?” In the long run, your best value is a floor that has a thicker wear layer. You should get around 10 yrs before you need to refinish (depending on the amount of abuse your floor gets).
Our recommendations for durability and reliability:
- Pre-Finished solid hardwood
- Unfinished solid hardwood
- 3/4″ Engineered hardwood (not as common but growing in popularity for these reasons).
Contact us anytime for questions HERE
