Hardwood Flooring
from Modern Home Flooring & Paint

Each plank of solid hardwood flooring is milled from a single piece of timber. Known for its longevity, solid hardwood can be sanded and refinished multiple times throughout its life. Due to its natural composition, it will expand and contract with changes in humidity and temperature. Installers often leave an expansion gap to accommodate this natural movement.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood is constructed with multiple layers (typically 3-5) of wood, arranged in a cross-grain configuration and bonded together under heat and pressure. This structure makes engineered hardwood less susceptible to changes in humidity and temperature.

Engineered Hardwood Varieties

Engineered hardwood comes in two primary types of core construction:

• Hardwood Core: Built with layers of hardwood, it offers a balance of durability and stability.
• High-Density Fiberboard Core: Known for its strength and moisture resistance, this core is ideal for more demanding environments.

Choosing the Right Hardwood for Your Space

When selecting hardwood flooring, consider the following:

• Installation Location:

  • On Grade: At ground level.
  • Above Grade: Second level or higher.
  • Below Grade: Below ground level, such as basements or sunken living rooms.

• Subfloor Material:

  • Engineered hardwood is typically recommended for concrete subfloors.

• Moisture Exposure:

  • Rooms with potential moisture exposure are better suited to engineered hardwood, which is less prone to expansion and contraction than solid hardwood.

Janka Wood Hardness Scale

The Janka Hardness Test gauges a wood’s resistance to wear and denting by measuring the force needed to embed a 0.444-inch diameter steel ball halfway into the wood. This test, which creates a circular indentation of 100 square millimeters, provides a measure in pounds-force (lbf) and is conducted on the surface of a plank, perpendicular to the grain.

This scale helps you understand the durability of wood species, ranging from popular flooring choices to more exotic varieties. While this is just a snapshot of the many options available at Modern Home Flooring & Paint, it serves as a guide to help you choose a wood flooring that meets both your aesthetic preferences and functional requirements.