Hardwood: A Staple of the Home, But Did You Know There are Two Types?

Okay, okay, Christmas is over, but this story in The Advocate of Baton Rouge, LA underscores the importance of tradition: www.theadvocate.com by Carol Anne Blitzer.

It’s just like trends. Some are like meteors. They move fast, flash with popularity and beauty and then they fizzle out just as quickly. Others endure and become a staple.

Hardwood can be called a staple; for years it was the #1 choice of homeowners, and it will probably stay that way for a long time. It comes in two forms, solid or engineered, and you can buy either type from the experts in Baton Rouge, Wholesale Flooring & Granite.

Now, the weather in Louisiana can be pretty tricky, what with the humidity, heat and tropical storms. As one Louisiana native says, “You just never know when a storm will pop up.” Solid hardwood has this tendency to expand and contract to adjust to climate conditions, and if not acclimated properly, it can cause a problem.

If that’s what’s keeping you from enjoying a gorgeous hardwood floor, fret not, because engineered hardwood flooring is a very good option.

First, let’s put a couple of myths to rest:

● Yes, it is absolutely, 100 percent real wood. Only the construction is different (More on that later!).
● Yes, engineered hardwood flooring increases the resale value of your home, just as solid does.
● Both types are available in domestic and exotic species with plenty of stains and colors.

Now for the construction difference. Solid hardwood is a sheet, so it’s wood all the way through. Engineered hardwood flooring is a layered product. Both top and bottom layers are real wood. Between those two layers is the core, which is made from many layers that criss-cross.

It is that criss-cross action that makes engineered hardwood flooring so stable and much less prone to shrinking or expanding. It’s also pretty water-resistant so, unlike solid wood that has limited application options, this is a viable option for any room, such as a basement, that can be prone to water.

Wholesale Flooring & Granite of Baton Rouge, LA also carries a large stock of carpet, laminate, tile and luxury vinyl.