Comprehensive Guide to Hardwood Flooring and Renovations

Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular flooring options due to its natural beauty, durability, and warm appeal. Various types of hardwood flooring offer different features and benefits. Here is the full Guide to Hardwood Flooring and Renovation

Types of Hardwood Flooring

Solid Hardwood

• Oak: Red and white oak are the primary types, known for high durability and beautiful grain patterns.
• Maple: Features fine grains and a light color, suitable for a modern and clean look.
• Walnut: Offers a dark, rich color with large grains, making it a luxurious choice.
• Mahogany: Known for its reddish-brown color and excellent durability, it is a classic and luxurious option.

Softwood

• Pine: Ranges from yellow to brown with distinct grains, making it an affordable option suitable for rustic settings.
• Spruce: Light in color with uniform grains, ideal for modern and minimalist spaces.

Engineered Hardwood

• Structure: Made from multiple layers of natural wood and plywood. The top layer is real hardwood, while the underlying layers are plywood or composite.
• Advantages: More resistant to temperature and humidity changes, making it suitable for areas like basements and kitchens.
• Installation: Can be installed as a floating floor, glued down, or nailed.

Differences Between Solid Hardwood and Engineered Hardwood

• Construction: Solid hardwood is made from a single piece of natural wood, while engineered hardwood consists of a top layer of real hardwood and multiple layers of plywood or composite underneath.
• Durability: Solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished multiple times, lasting for decades with proper care. Engineered hardwood can handle humidity changes better but can only be refinished a limited number of times.
• Installation: Solid hardwood is typically nailed or glued to a subfloor, while engineered hardwood offers versatile installation methods, including floating, gluing, or nailing.

Models and Dimensions of Hardwood Flooring

Strip Flooring

• Width: Usually less than 3 inches.
• Thickness: Between 5/16 to 3/4 inch.
• Length: Typically between 1 to 7 feet.

Plank Flooring

• Width: More than 3 inches, commonly between 3 to 8 inches.
• Thickness: Between 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
• Length: Between 4 to 10 feet.

Parquet Flooring

• Width and Length: Small wood pieces arranged in geometric patterns.
• Thickness: Between 5/16 to 3/4 inch.

Eco-Friendly and Certifications

• Eco-Friendly: Our hardwood flooring is eco-friendly and 100% Canadian-made, ensuring quality and sustainability.
• VOC and Formaldehyde-Free: Contains no added VOCs or formaldehyde, promoting a healthier indoor environment.
• LEED Points: Contributes to LEED points for sustainable building.
• FSC®-Certified: FSC®-certified hardwood flooring available upon request, ensuring responsible forest management.

Understanding Solid vs. Engineered Hardwood

The world of hardwood flooring in Vancouver can be confusing, especially when choosing between solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. A common misconception is that solid hardwood is real wood, while engineered hardwood is not. However, both are made of 100% wood. Engineered hardwood often has an inner core made of more expensive wood than the top layer.

Why Choose Engineered Hardwood Flooring?

Meet your new one-stop-shop choice to enhance your home: engineered hardwood flooring. Starting a renovation or new construction project involves several steps, and one of the most important is selecting floor coverings. The latest trend is a more matte, natural look. Here are a few reasons why you should consider engineered hardwood flooring:

Designer Appeal

Engineered hardwood brings out the natural beauty of the wood, offering elegance, comfort, and timelessness. Its versatile colors suit both classic and urban interior designs and add immediate value to a home.

Trend Towards Wide Planks

Wider planks create a luxurious and grandiose decor, making rooms appear larger and inviting a light, classic look.

Essence and Lifestyle Fit

With over a dozen wood species, each offering unique characteristics, grains, and knots, choosing engineered hardwood can be overwhelming. Experts can help you select the right wood for your room and lifestyle. At Canadian Flooring, our engineered hardwood collections include stunning woods like hickory and white oak, ideal for high-traffic areas. Some woods have a more apparent grain, hiding wear and tear over time.

Engineered Hardwood: The Beautiful Future of Flooring

Engineered hardwood offers an authentic look and uses natural resources, leaving a reduced ecological footprint. It’s eco-friendly and sustainable, providing durability for many years. The multi-layer structure stabilizes the flooring, increasing resistance to temperature and humidity variations, and can be installed over embedded radiant heating subfloors. With at least a 2 mm thick wood layer, it can also be sanded.

Integrating Renovations

In the renovations world, selecting the right flooring is crucial. Engineered hardwood flooring provides a versatile, durable, and aesthetically pleasing option for any renovation project. Whether you’re remodeling a single room or overhauling your entire home, the choice of flooring can significantly impact the overall look and feel of your space.

• Professional Advice: Consulting with experts can help navigate the vast options and ensure you select the best flooring to match your renovation needs and lifestyle.
• Custom Solutions: Tailored flooring solutions can enhance the functionality and beauty of your renovated space, providing both immediate satisfaction and long-term value.

Interested in incorporating engineered hardwood into your home renovation? Browse our wide range of flooring options here.

Hardwood flooring can add unique beauty and warmth to any space. Selecting the right type, model, and proper installation can significantly enhance the comfort and elegance of a room. For more information and to view samples, visit our showroom at 1903 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC.