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Guest Post:  Tips For Choosing the Right Wood Flooring

Guest Post: Tips For Choosing the Right Wood Flooring

Today’s guest post comes to us from Erin Alexandra from DIY Home & Floor.  Erin offers a quick overview of the different types of flooring on the market, and tips for helping you choose the best one for your project.

Selecting new flooring is a big decision. It will be underfoot for years, so making the best choice is important. Wood flooring is beautiful, durable and gives you exciting decorating alternatives. Before you make any decisions, consider the different floor types, your installation options and the wonderful range of materials. Match it all up with your personal style, and you’ll have the floors of your dreams.

solid wood floor
Understanding Floor Types

It’s easy to confuse the type of floor with the actual finishes available, but flooring type refers to the construction of the material, not style or color. There are three main categories:

1. Solid hardwood flooring is milled into planks from one piece of timber. This is your best choice for laying over a concrete subfloor. However, the installation can be expensive.
2. Engineered wood flooring is produced from several layers of wood. The installation process is simpler, and it’s easier to replace worn or damaged planks.
3. Laminate flooring is manufactured from different materials with a simulated wood finish. It’s affordable and durable making it perfect for high traffic areas.

wood flooring

Installing Different Floors

Installing hardwood flooring might seem like a doable weekend project, but it depends on your floor type. If you love exotic hardwoods like bamboo or teak, it’s best to let professionals do the job. Heavy woods need a solid subfloor, and they require nailing, sanding and finishing. Both engineered and laminate flooring give you easier installation options. These surfaces can be glued down and are more forgiving of measuring mistakes and tight corners. Building a new home is the perfect opportunity for laying down solid wood, but DIY jobs are easier with lighter materials.

Choosing Your Colors

From the creamy swirls of white oak to the rich grains of mahogany, hardwood flooring offers a variety of hues and textures. Cherry is a beautiful dark wood, and bamboo comes in lovely light shades. Custom staining is an option that makes your flooring unique and expands your decorating choices. Laminate floors are perfect for installing patterns and borders, and they make the look of parquet affordable. Never settle on your final decision in the store. Bring sample chips home so that you can see exactly how the wood will match your color scheme and reflect the light in different rooms.

wood floor install

Matching Your Style

Wood tones are natural, so their hues and shades go beautifully with any color scheme. Are your interiors classic and formal? Rich woods convey a sense of elegance and warmth. Lighter hues work in casual areas like dens and kitchens, and they help open up smaller rooms. Matte finishes are great for high traffic areas, so even the kids’ rooms are candidates for new floors. Laminate flooring lets you play with tiled patterns in the game room or create a dramatic entrance in the foyer. It’s easy to get creative with so many inspiring ideas.

From dramatic to casual, your decorating choices are a reflection of your personal style. Whether you install soft shades of oak or the rich darkness of cherry, wood flooring strikes a beautiful note that gives your room warmth and atmosphere. It adds value to your home, quality to everyday living, and it always feel wonderful underfoot.

From the author:  Hi everyone! My name is Erin and I am crazy about do-it-yourself projects when it comes to interior design. Working with Floor & Decor Outlets, I have developed a love for all things hands-on, and I know that beautiful interior design really can be accomplished without a huge cost to you. With that in mind, I maintain my own blog, diyhomeandfloor.com. I hope you find my post interesting and inspiring. If you’d like to get in touch, I’d love to hear from you at diyhomeandfloor@gmail.com.

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3 Responses to Guest Post: Tips For Choosing the Right Wood Flooring

  1. Marc says:

    This offers really good advice and describes very well the kinds of wood flooring that I install.

  2. Kristy-lee says:

    What colors have been used in the above picture, the pic with the stone walled fire place?
    I love it with the white trim!

    • Teri says:

      Hello! The wall colors are from Benjamin Moore, and are Monroe Bisque and Sherburne Buff…HC-26 and HC-28. Glad you like them – it’s a great space!

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