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With so many diverse and unique materials that are used in today’s modern hardwood flooring, it can be difficult to choose between all of the options that are available. Hardwoods, softwoods, engineered and substrates are all terminology that you should get familiar with before you begin selecting wood flooring. Learn these wood-flooring basics and you’re sure to make an informed decision when choosing wood flooring.

Substrates

A substrate or sub-floor is the surface on which your wood flooring rests upon. A substrate for solid wood flooring can be plywood over concrete or plywood over wood joists.

Engineered wood flooring can rest upon concrete directly, so long as it rests upon an adhesive or a foam/plastic vapor barrier.

Hardwoods

This wood flooring option is probably the most common and easily recognised of all. Blackbutt, Gum, Ironbark, Ash and Mahogany are all prime examples of hardwood floors. Prized for their beautiful grains patterns and rich colors, hardwoods are a great way to make any room charismatic and opulent.

Known for its quality, durability and strength, solid hardwood floors are the top of the line when it comes to wood flooring options. Solid hardwood flooring can be refinished multiple times, creating a durable flooring that will last for decades. Solid hardwood flooring can also be the most expensive wood flooring option. Also, solid hardwoods should not be installed in basements or other high humidity locations.

Softwoods

Pine is the most commonly used softwood flooring material and exudes a character and color all its own. It accepts stains well and easily changes from a light yellow-tan to a dark black—or any color in between.

Bamboo is technically not a softwood or a hardwood but is instead a grass. Because of its strength and durability, it is a widely used wood flooring option. Factor in that bamboo can be harvested every 4-5 years and you can see why bamboo has recently become so popular as an eco-friendly building material.

Engineered Wood

If you’re looking for the same quality material as a solid wood floor but for a cheaper price, then an engineered hardwood floor is the right choice for you. Built like a piece of plywood, an engineered hardwood floor has a thinner layer of hardwood on the surface and cheaper layers underneath with wood set perpendicular to each other to create strength. The drawback with engineered wood is you can’t refinish it multiple times like a solid hardwood floor.

Planks and Strips

Once you’ve selected a wood species and grade, you’ll need to choose a width for the planks. Planks range in size from 3” and anything bigger, giving the wood floor a more rustic feel. Strips are smaller and more common in traditional wood flooring designs and come in typical widths of 2 ¼”.

Patterns

Conventional wood flooring is set in straight strips or planks against the longest wall of a room. This is the cheapest and easiest pattern for wood flooring.
Diagonal patterns add a little more cost to the materials and labor price, but add a dramatic effect to any room. Parquet patterns resemble a checkerboard with opposing squares set perpendicular against the grain.

Herringbone is similar to parquet except squares are set into diagonal patterns. This is where pattern design becomes pricey.

Borders and mosaics are one of the most expensive patterns of all. Often seen in high-end homes, a border frames the perimeter of the room, while a pattern or mosaic medallion rests in the middle.