Your interior designer asked which kind of flooring you prefer: carpet, hardwood, ceramic, laminate, or vinyl. The designer laid down the cards and discussed the benefits and disadvantages of each flooring material. Because of its class and sophistication, you chose hardwood flooring. You thought you were done with the discussion, but just as you leave the doorway, your designer asked, “Do you prefer solid, engineered, or acrylic impregnated hardwood?”
Knowledge of various flooring materials is essential in home construction. The floor is one of the most used parts of the house, that’s why you need to choose durable flooring materials to maintain its functionality and good appearance. There are five basic kinds of flooring materials. In the United States, hardwood flooring is one of the most popular choices of homeowners. Hardwood floor possesses the sophistication of laminates and the durability of ceramic tiles. Likewise, it is easy to install during home construction.
Basically, there are three types of hardwood flooring: solid, engineered, and acrylic-impregnated hardwood. Solid hardwood may come in unfinished or pre-finished form. Unfinished hardwood needs to be polished and sanded after installation. On the other hand, pre-finished solid hardwoods are ready-to-install wooden bars. They are sanded, screened, and polished at the factory. In Lakeland and Tampa, solid wood flooring is sold and distributed in three varieties, which are strip, plank, and parquet hardwoods.
Strip hardwoods have similar width dimensions (1 1/2 inches, 2 inches and 2 1/4 inches) but they vary in thickness. Their thickness measures from 5/16 inches to 3/4 inches. Conversely, planks have similar thickness sizes and varying width dimensions. On the other hand, hardwood Tampa stores sell parquet hardwoods in different geometric shapes. In choosing hardwood flooring, determine the design and theme of your home. Solid strips, planks, and parquet create different floor patterns.
Moreover, engineered hardwood floors have well-polished and fully furnished surfaces. They look like laminate flooring, albeit they are made up of real wooden bars. Engineered hardwood materials have multiple sheets of wood with laminate coating. Lakeland flooring professionals install engineered hardwood in a cross-ply construction method.
Acrylic-impregnated hardwoods are akin to engineered hardwood, but they are infused with sealant. Hence, their surface finish style, pattern, and color are consistent throughout the wood. Hardwood Tampa professionals say acrylic-impregnated hardwood are durable flooring materials that are highly resistant to moisture and scratches.