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LLStyle: Back to School on Flooring Styles

It’s back-to-school time — making it a great season to sharpen those pencils and study up on the types of floors. After all, if you’re looking to do a remodel, or just want to update any of the floors in your home, the key is to first know all of your options before making any big decisions.

4 min read
Published on August 17, 2021

It’s back-to-school time — making it a great season to sharpen those pencils and study up on the types of floors. After all, if you’re looking to do a remodel, or just want to update any of the floors in your home, the key is to first know all of your options before making any big decisions.

To help kickstart your lessons in Flooring 101, here’s a quick study guide for your reference—and don’t worry, its an open-note test….and each of these flooring types gets an A+ in our books!

Select Red Oak Solid Hardwood Flooring
Bellawood Select Red Oak Solid Hardwood Flooring

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hardwood History

We’ll start with the obvious class favorite: hardwood. It’s classic, long-lasting, versatile, and a great way to make your space feel warm and welcoming. Whatever type of wood or finish you choose, each piece of hardwood has its own unique character, which is important to note when you’re picking a wood type. Materials from more tropical regions like bamboo or Brazilian koa can be more dynamic in grain and color from board to board, while varieties like maple or red oak tend to have a more consistent grain pattern. 

A huge plus is solid hardwood’s insulating abilities; more than just an attractive floor covering, it adds strength and stability to the floor system. A one-inch thickness of wood has the same insulating value as 15 inches of concrete, and it doesn’t absorb dust or support mildew, so it’s easy to keep clean and healthy. What’s more, the lifespan of hardwood is a long and impressive one —and with proper care and occasional refinishing, this floor is incredibly cost-effective over time. If we had to grade hardwood on its performance and appearance, it’s an A+.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood is the fraternal twin to solid hardwood—with all of the visual properties of its solid sibling, engineered hardwood contains a thin layer of hardwood bonded over a premium-quality plywood layer that strengthens the floor’s stability and makes it more resistant to warping in humid conditions.

It’s a great option for DIY-ers as it’s simpler to install than solid hardwood, which is best installed by a professional with understanding of the wood’s unique characteristics. Unlike solid hardwood, engineered hardwood can be installed with glue-down, nail-down, or floating applications, and due to its resistance to humidity, can be installed over a greater range of subfloors like concrete. It can last from 25 to 30 years, and if history is any indicator, it won’t be going out of style any time soon. We’re in love with the warmth and versatility of one of our of floors like the Bellawood Willow Manor Oak that delivers on the trend-right 7.5-inch wide plank.

Willow Manor Oak Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Bellawood Willow Manor Oak Engineered Hardwood Flooring

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rigid Vinyl Plank

RVP is the solution for any household with kids, pets, or simply messy adults. It’s waterproof, and can be found in various wood-style finishes that make it look just as sophisticated and classic as hardwood flooring, like Meribel Elm Waterproof RVP.

What’s more, this floor is easy to install, making it a great DIY project. Adding to the benefits is its durability — it contains a rigid core layer underneath the vinyl that hides any imperfections in the subfloor. Plus, its urethane top coat makes it dent-and scratch-resistant . If you’ve got an active household but crave the look of hardwood, this is a great option.

Coreluxe 5mm w/pad Meribel Elm Waterproof Rigid Vinyl Plank Flooring
Coreluxe 5mm w/pad Meribel Elm Waterproof Rigid Vinyl Plank Flooring

 

 

 

 

 

 

What’s more, this floor is easy to install, making it a great DIY project. Adding to the benefits is its durability — it contains a rigid core layer underneath the vinyl that hides any imperfections in the subfloor. Plus, its urethane top coat makes it dent-and scratch-resistant . If you’ve got an active household but crave the look of hardwood, this is a great option.

Laminate

Right out of the gate, laminate flooring gets top marks for its low cost and high performance. It’s the most economical of the floor types, so it’s a great choice for anyone looking for cost-effective, durable flooring with the beautiful appearance of classic wood floors. It’s possible to install yourself, just requiring an underlayment between the subfloor and your laminate flooring.

Technically speaking, our laminate flooring presents a high-resolution imagery of a wood finish layered on a compressed fiberboard base and bonded under high pressure, resulting in an extremely hard, resilient product with the visual appeal of wood, as found in our waterproof Melrose Herringbone flooring. Compared to other flooring, laminate is tougher, less prone to scratching or stain, and more resistant to warping, shrinkage, or swelling caused by seasonal changes.

You can’t go wrong in your floor selection, but if you do need some guidance in getting started, check out our Floor Finder to help connect you with the best flooring for your needs, budget, style, and space.

Melrose Herringbone 24Hr Water-Resistant Laminate
Melrose Herringbone 24Hr Water-Resistant Laminate

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can’t go wrong in your floor selection, but if you do need some guidance in getting started, check out our Floor Finder to help connect you with the best flooring for your needs, budget, style, and space.

Do you have a favorite floor style? Tell us — and tag us — on Facebook or Instagram at @LLFlooring and use #LLStyle