The location of your hardwood flooring basically falls into three categories:
- On grade – at ground level
- Above grade – any second level or higher
- Below grade – any floor below ground level, including basements or sunken living rooms.
Traditional solid hardwood flooring is not recommended for below-grade installations, because of the increased likelihood of moisture. The construction of an engineered hardwood gives it enhanced structural stability that allows it to be installed at any grade level. Related to location, the nature of the subfloor can also influence your choice. If you are installing over concrete, engineered wood is the better choice. If the subfloor is plywood, wood, or OSB, then either solid or engineered wood can be installed. Neither solid nor engineered wood are appropriate for areas where there is likely to be continuous moisture, like bathrooms.
Consider how plank width can affect the look of the room. Our floors are available in a variety of width options, from narrow planks that offer a more traditional appearance, to more distinctive wide planks.
- Character floors: 5″ widths
- Domestic exotics/Solid: 2-1/4″, 3-1/4″ and 5″ widths
- Domestic exotics/engineered: 3″ and 5″ widths
- Domestic exotics/intuition: 4″ widths
- Traditional oaks/solid: 2-1/4″, 3-1/4″ and 5″ widths
- Traditional oaks/engineered: 3″ and 5″ widths