Floor Studios Blog

Different types of flooring offer a different ambiance and emotion. So many great flooring choices are available today.  Flooring can be elegant, decorative, functional or practical and is available in a wide range of materials to suit any lifestyle, taste and budget. But no material provides as much warmth, sentiment and a sense of the past as old-fashioned wood flooring. Despite the increase in the price, there is no substitute for wood for creating a homey feel.

A house builder who wants a floor with a more contemporary feel might choose parquet in place of the more traditional quarter-sawn wood flooring popular in the past. New Prefinished hardwoods are an excellent choice for homes ranging in design from traditional, Victorian, country, ranch or contemporary. With many choices of color and materials, it is adaptable to any look you want. The darker finishes are suitable for formal rooms, while the lighter shades give a more casual feel. Popular choices such as Oak, Ash and Maple can be combined with exotic varieties such as Brazilian Cherry,  Teak and Bamboo creating a unique style and texture.

Engineered hardwood is designed to perform better than traditional flooring as they are cross layered on top of each other providing durability and strength. Engineered Hardwood Flooring is not a synthetic wood but is made from real hardwoods. It is much easier to maintain since it is already treated with several coats of urethane and does not require waxing.  Occasional mopping with a wood cleaner is all that is needed to maintain its luster.

The most popular flooring choices include:

- Oak Flooring is very strong durable. It has a tight dark grain that is well suited to dining rooms and locations that require a more subdued and formal atmosphere.

- Ash has a beautiful texture and uniform grain.

- Pine Flooring can more likely to be found in older homes and gives a sense of history. Pine is considered a softwood but can be very durable and may last for hundreds of years.

- Birch is also a softwood with a more playful texture

- Fir is yet another softwood patterned with decorative dark grains

- Bamboo Flooring Bamboo is technically is a grass but when harvested in season and treated properly can be as durable as hardwood flooring.

- Walnut, Cherry and Teak are the more expensive and elegant hardwoods.

Whatever your choice, wood for flooring has a timeless appeal that will never be easily substituted even by the most modern materials available today.