Hardwood

Part of picking the hardwood you like is considering the finishes offered. Smooth is the most traditional as they are sanded flat then finished. Next, is wire-brushed where wire- brushes are used to clean with their coarse, firm bristles creating a texture that adds more dimension to the wood. Hand-scraped hardwood is considered premium, as artisans use scrapers and drawn knives on wood flooring which adds character and depth to the material.

Engineered flooring looks nearly identical to hardwood on the surface but one of the core differences is that instead of a single wood plank, engineered is made of a high-quality plywood core with a thin layer of hardwood flooring on top. This makes it a more affordable option. Unlike hardwood, engineered floors cannot be refinished.

Five hardwood species (oak, walnut, hickory, maple, and cherry) are among the most common choices for residential flooring. Oak is known for its warm tones and fine grain characteristics while walnut tends to have deep, rich chocolate tones with large grain patterns. Hickory typically features a range of hues and is ideal for high traffic areas. Maple is fairly lighter than the others with a finer grain pattern while cherry tends to be better for lower traffic areas being that it’s considered softer than the others.