Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood floors are a classic home building material due to their natural beauty and long-lasting durability. The combination of a distinguished look and excellent resale value makes them one of the most used materials for floors today.

With a wide variety of hardwood flooring options available on the market today, we want to provide our readers with useful information about selecting the perfect hardwood floor for your project, as well as the technical and aesthetic aspects of hardwood.

From classic hardwood floors to innovative new products, we offer valuable insight about the various styles of hardwood, as well as the finishes and construction uses for each. As hardwood floors are constantly evolving, we regularly update the section to keep our readers informed of new products and uses for the traditional wood flooring.

How is Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring Made?

November 23, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Not all bamboo flooring is made in the same manner, and consumers should understand the difference before investing in this product. Strand woven bamboo flooring provides a distinct appearance and above average performance, due to the unique way this eco friendly flooring product is made. Continue reading →

Natural Oil Finish vs UV Oil Finish for Your Hardwood Floors

November 8, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Hardwood flooring comes in a wide range of colors and stains. Either pre-finished or finished onsite after installation, hardwood flooring finishes provide protection, enhance appearance and increase durability. Consumers may be surprised at the choices available for finishing hardwood, including popular, eco friendly methods with an oil base. Deciding between natural oil finish vs UV oil finish on hardwood floors requires an understanding of the processes and benefits of each option. Continue reading →

All You Need to Know About Bamboo Floors

October 4, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Bamboo floors are quickly gaining in popularity, highly touted for their strength and environmental benefits. But what do consumers really know about this product? And what should they look for when purchasing new bamboo flooring? Continue reading →

What Should You Expect From Your Newly Installed Hardwood Flooring?

July 31, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Hardwood flooring remains a popular choice for homes of all sizes, outlasting the latest home décor trends and improving the value of homes across the country. Consumers should consider this type of flooring as a lifetime investment, but performance, durability and appearance depend on product quality and installation methods. Be sure you know what to expect from your newly installed hardwood floor, and how to extend the life of this beautiful feature. Continue reading →

Benefits of Cumaru Brazilian Teak Wood Floors

July 16, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Stronger than domestic hardwood species, Cumaru Brazilian Teak is an exotic wood used for solid hardwood and engineered wood flooring products. Homeowners can benefit from several characteristics of this species, including the strength and distinct appearance. Although the cost is a bit higher than popular domestics like Red Oak and Maple, Brazilian Teak creates a stunning look that lasts in any home. Continue reading →

Choosing Between Solid Vs Engineered Wood Flooring

July 5, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Replacing carpets and other aged flooring with wood is a wise option for homeowners across North America. But consumers wonder which option provides the best value and ponder the question of solid vs engineered wood flooring. What are the major differences in these popular products? And how can you choose the ideal wood flooring for your home? Continue reading →

How Hardwood Flooring Is Made | Part 3

May 19, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Finishing Stage In the last two posts we’ve looked at the selection, grading and planing of hardwood flooring. Now we’re at the final stage of manufacturing and taking a closer look at the finishing process, when protective coatings and sealants are applied to hardwood and engineered wood flooring. Continue reading →

How Hardwood Flooring is Made | Part 2

May 2, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

In the last post we talked about log selection and covered the differences between plain sawn, quarter sawn and rift sawn logs in the manufacturing process for solid hardwood. Engineered wood floors are cut using the dry sawn method or processed with the rotary peel or sliced peel method. Continue reading →

How Hardwood Flooring is Made | Part 1

April 26, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Have you ever walked across gorgeous hardwood flooring or browsed through the floating wood floor aisles at your local building supply store wondering how hardwood flooring is made? Quality wood floors go through a rigid selection and preparation process that provides superior appearance and durability for years to come. Continue reading →

Understanding Flooring Grades for Exotics and Domestic Wood

April 7, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Wood species dictates Janka hardness ratings as well as the flooring’s general appearance, such as color and grain pattern. So how do flooring grades fit into the mix? And why do exotic wood floors have a different grading system than domestic wood floors? Continue reading →

Uncovering the Myths of Quarter Sawn and Plain Sawn Wood Floors

March 28, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

Wood floors provide classic appeal and dependability for any area of your home, but the quality of wood flooring available today covers a broad range. Your flooring supplier carries many different products in various styles and finishes, but they'll also offer you a choice between quarter sawn and plain sawn wood floors. What's the difference? And how does rotary peel wood flooring measure up in comparison? Continue reading →

All About Janka Ratings for Wood Floors

March 20, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

The Janka hardness test provides consumers with valuable information about the durability and strength of a particular type of wood species. This test is particularly important when considering which types of wood floors are best for your home. But what do Janka ratings actually mean and how does this measurement relate to the durability of engineered and hardwood flooring? Continue reading →

Floating Wood Floors FAQs | Sandable Wear Layer or Unsandable Wear Layer?

February 20, 2012 - Unique Wood Floors

What is the difference between solid wood floors and floating engineered wood floors? Most people would assume that solid wood flooring lasts longer, given that a worn hardwood floor can be sanded and refinished. The good news is that quality floating wood floors made with a sandable wear layer can also be refinished to stretch the lifespan of the floor significantly. Continue reading →

Why Prefinished Wood Flooring Can Be Your Best Choice

October 20, 2011 - Unique Wood Floors

There are numerous reasons for installing hardwood flooring in your home such as durability and increasing its re-sale value, but when it comes right down to it -- the primary reason is that there just aren't any other floor covering options that can rival its natural beauty. Hardwood conveys a sense of warm that no other flooring can come close to duplicating. However, if you're planning to have solid hardwood installed, there's still an important decision to be made -- should you go with prefinished flooring or the more traditional finish in-place variety? Continue reading →

Choosing Hardwood Floors for Your Home 101, Part 3 - Choosing Your Wood Flooring

September 8, 2011 - Unique Wood Floors

The decision to install hardwood flooring in your home is something you can take pride in. Not only are you adding to the value of your home, but you are also adding to the beauty and aesthetics of it as well. We have already covered why to choose hardwood floors, and we've covered understanding the needs of the space you'll be installing them in. Now it is time to consider what species of wood flooring you will choose, as well as determining factors like pre-finished solid hardwood, engineered or floating wood flooring, color, grain, hardness, and other relevant considerations. Continue reading →