As a rule solid wood flooring is much more expensive than laminate flooring it is also much more expensive to install because it requires much more labor. The solid wood flooring usually comes in strips approximately 2in. wide each strip has to be laid down individually and nailed in place with a special pneumatic flooring nailer. The whereas laminate flooring can be put down in larger sections the section simply snap together and can be put down rather quickly the typical homeowner can easily lay laminate flooring down in a weekend with only basic tools.

Laminate flooring however cannot tolerate a lot of moisture what happens is that the fiberboard backing on the laminate flooring will absorptive the water And swell the swelling will cause the floor to buckle the only recourse is to replace the floor. The solid wood flooring on the other hand will tolerate much more moisture. But if you’re not sure which way you would like to go with your new flooring solid wood or laminate I would advise that you go to your local home center or better yet a dedicated flooring store If they will be able to answer any questions you might have they will be happy to show you how to install your new flooring and they can even recommend some highly qualified contractors to install you flooring if you do not want to do it yourself. Whatever type of new flooring you decide on the warm classic look of real wood will add the feeling of warmth to your home.

First decide if you want engineered or real wood flooring. Engineered flooring tends to be more durable as it is constructed similarly to plywood. The wood is layered so the grains run in different directions and then it is pressed together into a plank. Real wood is referred to as solid. These planks are made from one long piece of real wood. Solid is real, engineered has a tendency to look not quite real. Usually it is too shiny and has a slightly plastic sheen.

Some types of solid hardwood flooring come prefinished. It is not terribly hard to finish a wood floor yourself, so unless you find exactly what you are looking for in a prefinish, you should consider applying your own finish. This way you get the sheen and coloring that you want to match the rest of your home. There are innumerable stains available and you can be sure to find the exact color perfect for your existing furniture and decor.

There are multiple methods of installation as well. The method you use depends on the type of wood you end up choosing. You might need to nail down your wood floor. This means attaching the boards to the subfloor using flooring nails. Similarly, you might staple the floor down using a pneumatic stapler. Some engineered floors need to be glued down to the subfloor. For this you use a trowel and flooring adhesive.

The easiest method is floating installation. The planks lock together using tongue and groove slots that are pre-cut into the wood. Some types of wood require that the boards be glued together others just click into place. Either way, this is the easiest type of installation to do yourself.

So, when you start looking into wood flooring, think about the look you want to achieve, how much you want to spend, and who is going to do the installation.