Hardwood Flooring

What To Look For When Shopping For Hardwood

When it comes to a natural flooring product like hardwood flooring, there are some important points to look at before buying. Hardwood flooring is an investment. One that brings joy and style into a home for years. As you take on this journey, there are certain aspects to hardwood that you should pay attention to before a serious point.

Construction

The are a couple different types of hardwood flooring that you should consider before purchasing, and American Wholesale Floors carries both types; solid and engineered. Solid hardwood flooring is by far the most desired type of hardwood flooring. Solid hardwood flooring is one single piece that is cut from the tree, milled, and finished, and it's usually 3/4" thick. This hardwood is generally nailed down and we would dare to say, should always be nailed down. So, if your house is on a concrete slab, it is probably not the best option for you. Solid flooring can be sanded and refinsihed down the road to change the color or correct dents and dings that happen in life. Because it's made from one single piece of wood, solid flooring typically cost more on the retail market. At American Wholesale Flooring, our flooring prices can be considerably less than most retailers. And since this type of flooring is a solid piece, it is more susceptible to cupping and movement when exposed to moisture. Consumers should be aware of this when shopping.
The other option is engineered hardwood flooring. Engineered flooring is constructed using a veneer of hardwood on the top of a plywood core, or HDF core. Why would someone buy flooring made partly from plywood? Simple. To control the movement of the plank when exposed to moisture and to decrase the price. Because of the plywood core, the plank is less likely to expand and contract when installed in areas with higher moisture content. Engineered hardwood can be installed directly on top of concrete which emits moisture naturally. And it can be glued down without the need for nails or staples. This product was designed especially for areas such as DeLand FL where moisture levels are higher. Engineered flooring is also less expensive due to it's construction. One downfall of engineered hardwood is that it cannot be refinsihed in the event of scatching or denting.

Species

There are many different species of hardwood that should be considered when purchasing flooring. American Wholesale Floors carries a vast amount of flooring species in stock. We can also ship outside of Central Florida. The most common species of hardwood that we have here in Florida are Oak (red and white), Maple, and Hickory. This is due to the fact that these are domestically grown species. They grow really well in America. But different charateristics wihtin these species change their performance. Oak flooring is a truly affordable flooring choice. Its not the most dense, but it is stable. Oak has a strong grain pattern but can be stained in numerours colors. Variation from board to board can be drastic. Red and White Oak are the most abundant species that we have here in america but is not as hard as Maple and Hickory. Maple is a strong species with very little grain. It's grain is extremely tight and variation is less likely from board to board. Maple holds stain really well and is harder than oak but not as hard as hickory. Hickory is the hardest domestic species that we have in America. Hickory is a more rustic species with high variation, knots and sporadic grain lines. It is more susceptible to expanding and contrating when exposed to moisture. As a consumer, consider the species as a form of design and weigh out that species with its performace charateristis.

Brand

Brands are highly important when it comes to shopping for hardwood flooring. We all use clothing brands as a means to distinguish between good or bad quality. Flooring is not that much different. Well known brands are useful for determining the price we will pay and the amount of support that we will get once the purchase is complete. Sometimes its possible to purchase a hardwood floor with very little brand recognition, and still come out with a super high quality flooring. But its highly unlikely unless you trust the retailer. We only carry high quality flooring, no matter the beand. Our installers are hgihly trained to detect quality issues in flooring and are taught to discard anything that is substandard. When you shop for flooring such as Bruce or Mannington, you know that you are getting a brand that stands behind its product.
At American Wholesale Floors, we are committed to walking you through the process from shopping all the way to installation. With over 35 years in the flooring industry, we know high quality flooring and what it takes provide customers with stylish flooring.