It is no wonder that hardwood floors are preferred by many to complete the construction of their house, office, or other structural establishments. If you will notice, hardwood floors appear in almost all of the edifices that you have set foot into. This is mainly because hardwood floors are naturally laden with characteristics that ensure longevity and aesthetics.

When you look at a hardwood floor, you cannot help but visualize the traces of its history and what forest it came from. A hardwood floor, when installed properly, provides warmth and natural elegance to a room. It is rich in those characteristics provide personality to structure that contains it. Aside from the aesthetic benefits, it can also add value to your home, can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance, and can be cleaned easily. Furthermore, it is safe for the environment as it is made naturally from wood, and no other highly-destructive elements are added.

There are three basic types of hardwood floors: solid wood floors, engineered wood floors, and laminate wood floors.

Solid wood floors. These can be installed on concrete as long as the floor is on or above ground level. They also come in three basic types: strip flooring, which is installed by nailing to the sub-floor with strips that are usually 2-1/4 inches wide with widths ranging from 1 inches to 3 inches; 2) plank flooring boards, which can be nailed or screwed to the sub-floor with screw holes that can be covered with wooden plugs; and, 3) parquet flooring, which consists of blocks of wood that are laid in decorative patterns.

Engineered hardwood. This is made of a composite of several layers of different kinds of wood while others are made with various grades of the same wood, stacked and glued together under heat and pressure. Unlike solid wood floorings, engineered wood flooring is less likely to be affected by the changes of humidity and can be mounted above or below ground level.

Wood laminate flooring. This third type is actually a plywood base and with a top layer of veneer. This is usually found in three-ply with a 3/8 inch thickness. It can be sanded and finished three times at the most.