University of Wisconsin - Extension

Madison - Hard wood floors have long been a premium flooring choice for homes. Hard wood floors usually consist of narrow unfinished tongue and grove boards called strips or wider boards called planks, says John Merrill, UW-Madison/Extension Housing Specialist. Oak is the most common species of wood used, however, wood flooring from a variety of species is available.

¿The boards are nailed to the subfloor with a special tool, ¿Merrill says. ¿The floor is then sanded to level any differences in thickness of individual boards. This is followed by several coats of a sealer. When the sealer wears off and the surface darkens, the floor can be sanded and refinished. The boards are thick enough that the floor can be refinished several times before the flooring has to be replaced.¿

The process of sanding and sealing a hardwood floor can take several days. To speed installation, manufacturers have introduced pre-finished hardwood flooring. Once it is nailed in place it is ready to go, says Merrill. However, because the floor is not sanded in place it usually is not quite as even as the finished-in-place floor. To compensate for the slight unevenness, each piece may have a slight bevel on each side. An advantage of pre-finished flooring is that the finish may be much more wear-resistant than the finishes available for on site application.

In recent years a number of engineered wood products have also been introduced, Merrill says. These consist of a hardwood veneer glued to a plywood base. The veneer may either be rotary cut, giving it a plywood-like look, or sawn, giving a look similar to solid wood flooring. The thickness of the veneer layer varies; the thicker veneer layers may withstand a sanding or two. This flooring usually comes in panels that are several strips or planks wide and are in random lengths.

Traditional finishing products are used on some engineered wood, but other finishes are available for pre-finished wood and engineered wood that are much more durable than the products available for site application. Some use aluminum oxide crystals or even diamond dust to make the finish harder. These finishes come with as much as a 25-year warranty. Other engineered wood flooring products are impregnated with acrylic resins, which are then factory hardened. These products are reputed to be several times harder than ordinary hard wood flooring and highly impact-resistant, according to an article in the December 2001 edition of The Journal of Light Construction.

Another flooring product that offers the look of wood is plastic laminate flooring. Laminate flooring consists of a thin wear layer, much like laminate counter tops, covering a pattern layer; these are glued to a fiberboard. Laminate flooring comes in the form of tongue and grove tiles or planks. While wood patterns are common, laminate flooring is also available in patterns that simulate tile or stone. Laminate flooring is suitable for installation in damp areas and is highly impact resistant, Merrill says.

¿A major advantage of both engineered wood and laminate flooring is that they can be installed using a floating floor system,¿ Merrill points out.

While installation specifications vary, in general the installation begins by preparing the surface so that it is as even as possible. A vapor barrier is then applied followed by a thin layer of foam underlayment. The flooring is then glued and clamped together. The floor stays in place by its own weight. The floating system allows easy installation over a concrete slab, which has made it particularly popular in areas where slab on grade construction is common. It can also be installed over existing vinyl flooring.

Other advantages of engineered wood and laminate flooring are the variety of colors and patterns available, the uniformity of color and pattern and its durability.

¿If you are thinking about new flooring,¿ Merrill says, ¿the laminates are somewhat cheaper and longer wearing but can't be refinished and may not offer the quality-of-wood look you want.¿

Engineered wood is roughly the same price as pre-finished wood or site-finished wood, according to Merrill, but usually can't be refinished as often as real wood. It also comes in panels, so joints may be more obvious. Some of the available factory finishes on both these pre-finished wood products will outlast site finished wood and installation is much quicker. Laminates and many engineered wood products can be laid using the floating method, which makes them more adaptable to various flooring situations.

¿Since the difference in appearance can be substantial it¿s a good idea to insist on seeing a full floor installation before purchasing,¿ Merrill advises, ¿rather than making your selection based on viewing samples alone.¿