Hardwood floors are one of the most durable and popular flooring choices because of their timeless beauty. They don’t just look great, but who doesn’t love sliding across a polished hardwood floor in their socks like a certain movie star? Hardwood floors can be what makes a house into your home.

Thinking about installing hardwood floors in your own home? American Carpet Wholesalers of Georgia has an EXTENSIVE selection of hardwood floors to choose from. Over 30 Top Hardwood Flooring brands are available at ACWG and hundreds of unique collections and styles can be found in each of those brands. Top selling brands include Bruce, Harris Wood, Mohawk, and Shaw hardwood flooring.

Types of Hardwood Flooring

Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is exactly what is sounds like: a solid piece of wood from bottom to top. The thickness of solid hardwood floors can vary, but in general, the range is from 3/4” to 5/16”. Solid hardwoods can be used in any room that is above grade (above ground). One of the many benefits of solid wood plank flooring is that it can be refinished several times. Solid wood floors are great for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and even powder rooms. About the only place, you wouldn’t use solid hardwood flooring is in the below grade (basements), but there’s a solution for that area too.

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood floors are real wood floors that are manufactured using multiple layers of wood veneers. Those layers that you can’t see can be of the same species, or of different species. In the manufacturing process, the grain of each layer runs in perpendicular directions, which makes it very dimensionally stable. Meaning that the wood will expand and contract less than solid wood flooring during shifts in temperature or moisture/humidity.

Engineered floors can be nailed or stapled to a wood sub-floor, or glued down to a wood or concrete sub-floor. This makes engineered wood floors ideal for slab and basement installations, but they can be used in any room above, on or below grade. While this type of flooring can be sanded and refinished, it cannot be done as many times as solid wood flooring.

“Choosing the right species of hardwood floors for you is strictly a matter of your style, budget and personal preference. Domestic and imported species of wood flooring are available to achieve a unique look.”

Hardwood Decor

How do feel about light woods like ash or maple? Do you want your room to appear more airy and open? The these would be good species to purchase.

Do you like a room to look and feel more warm and cozy? Then medium woods like hickory or oak are the ones you should generally move toward.

Do you like dark woods like walnut or mahogany? These species generally make a room appear more stately and refined.

Imported species can offer even more color options.

Type of Wood Species
Oak
Cherry
Maple
Walnut
Ash
Bamboo
Mahogany
Teak

Once you decide on a look, you should consider how your floors will be used. Are you a retired couple living alone, or a busy family with young children and pets? Each wood species is rated for its hardness and durability using the Janka scale (standardized wood hardness measurement).

Speaking of pets and hardwood floors, there are several things you can do to minimize scratches from pets on your wood floors. Laying down rugs at all doors to minimize the amount of dirt and grit being tracked in, especially if your pet likes to dig. Your best defense, however, is to trim your pet’s nails regularly. If scratches happen, keep in mind that the scratches most likely will be in the finish only, and not in the wood. If this occurs, consult with a professional wood flooring contractor for specific recommendations about how to repair the scratches, and minimize future instances.

Fade and Hardwood Floors
Wood floors are one of the few types of flooring that become more beautiful with age. Hardwood floors will experience subtle color changes as they age. This is natural and is a process that will add to the beauty and character of the floor.

Different species of wood flooring will experience color changes at different rates. In general, more-common species such as oak and hickory will experience minimal color change over time, while less-common species, like American cherry and Brazilian cherry, will show more color change over time. These changes are natural but can be minimized with a little prevention.

Two factors influence color changes in wood floors: sun exposure and the finish that is applied to the floor. Over time, prolonged sun exposure will cause wood floors to change color. Think about how skin reacts when exposed to sunlight. Wood reacts in much the same way, and you can minimize this effect by periodically moving rugs and furniture to limit that exposure.

The other factor that can cause hardwood floors to change color over time is the finish used. Oil-modified finishes will “amber” over time, giving the floor a slightly yellow appearance. In contrast, water-based finishes generally will remain clear over time with minimal long-term changes in color.

Things to Know Before You Buy

Order 10% more wood than you need. If your floor is 500 sq ft, order 550 sq ft. If you order exactly 500 sq ft, you will end up not having enough wood to finish your floor. Why? Because hardwood floors need to be cut to fit the space, which will cause some waste. You may even need more wood depending on whether there are any architectural items such as bay windows or alcoves. It is always better to have too much than not enough.

There are a lot of great selections within the 30 plus brands found at American Carpet Wholesalers of Georgia. Give yourself a break from searching and give the experts at American Carpet Wholesalers a call! They can help you with your questions regarding hardwood floors and make sure you order the correct amount for the length and width of your room. Calling also ensures you get your best pricing, ACWG is always looking for the best deals for you and when you call you to get the best up-to-date costs. Give the flooring experts a call today at  800-548-2706.

Click here for more reviews of the Hardwood Flooring products available at American Carpet Wholesalers or Click here to explore other styles of flooring.