Going With the Grain

The wood look is definitely in. Just consider all those other flooring materials trying to imitate it. Though many do a good job, the real McCoy has a distinctive tone, grain and texture that can’t be duplicated. But even real wood flooring now comes in veneer as well as solid forms.

The wide range of products and much-improved finishes mean wood floors can go just about anywhere in your home, including over a concrete slab.

Here’s what’s available and which products can go where:

Solid Wood

Solid, three-quarter-inch-thick wood flooring has been used in homes for generations. Because these floors can be refinished, they often last 100 years or longer.

Red and white oak are the most common species, with prices for red-oak flooring beginning at $2.25 per square foot; white oak runs slightly more.

Popular alternatives to oak include maple ($3.80 per square foot), cherry ($4.40) and ash ($4). Search a bit more and you’ll even find species such as mahogany, mesquite and teak.

Even within a wood species there are different grades to consider. Select and clear grades are made from premium, knot-free boards.

Common and No. 2 grades are less expensive. This flooring will show more variation in grain and color, and occasional tight knots.

Another way to save money is to specify “shorts.” The frequent end joints that result from these shorter strips create a busier-looking floor, however.

There are three finishing options. You can stain flooring to darker hues, use a bleaching stain or light-toned filler treatment or leave the floor its natural color. All need a protective finish.

Several major manufacturers, such as Bruce Hardwood Floors ([800] 722-4647; https://www.brucehardwoodfloors.com) and Hartco Flooring Co. ([423] 544-0767; https://www.hartcoflooring.com), offer wood flooring with factory-applied finishes.

Prefinishing adds around $1.25 per square foot to the cost. It’s a good option for remodeling because you eliminate the sawdust from sanding the floor and the fumes from stain and finish. And factory finishes are pristine and very durable.

Solid flooring does have some limitations. It expands and warps in the presence of moisture, so it’s not a wise choice for areas that get damp, such as bathrooms. It must be nailed in place, making it unsuitable for use over a concrete slab unless an expensive wood subfloor is installed first. And do-it-yourselfers will find this type of flooring more difficult to install than thinner engineered strip flooring.

Engineered Options

Made from several layers of wood bonded together, engineered flooring comes in strips and planks; it resembles solid wood once installed. Although it’s essentially a plywood, there are definite benefits to engineered wood.

First, most engineered flooring comes prefinished, so it’s ready to walk on when it’s installed.

Second, the multiply composition of engineered flooring makes it more dimensionally stable than solid-wood flooring. You can install it just about anywhere--even in bathrooms.

What’s more, this type of flooring is easier to install than solid wood. And because most engineered flooring isn’t as thick (three-eighths-inch to half-inch) as solid wood, you’re less likely to encounter level-changing problems.

The variety of engineered flooring is staggering. There are different thickness and widths, different wood species and different finish treatments to consider. And the edges where strips or planks join can be eased or square.

As you might expect, prices vary greatly--from $2.50 to well over $6 per square foot for the material. Installation costs also vary, depending on the floor you choose and whether you do the work yourself.

Some engineered flooring is glued or nailed to a subfloor; other material is glued to itself along each tongue-and-groove joint and allowed to float on a foam pad over the subfloor. Floating wood floors are the easiest to install over concrete.

Smart Shopping

Lumberyards, home centers and flooring dealers sell wood floors. However, dealers that sell carpeting, vinyl flooring and tile will probably offer a broader selection of wood flooring than lumberyards and home centers.

You’ll also be able to get quotes on installation prices for different types of floors from dealers.

Solid-wood and engineered flooring are discounted frequently. Unfinished solid-oak strips that normally sell for $3.75 per square foot can go for $2.50 per square foot. That’s a savings of about $300 on a typical living room floor.

Smart shopping can earn you similar savings on engineered flooring.

Installation costs are similar from one region to the next, with square-foot prices in the $2 to $3 range common. It costs about the same to install and finish an unfinished floor as it does to lay a prefinished one (prefinished flooring must be handled more carefully).

If you want to do the job yourself, equipment-rental agencies have the tools and materials for this kind of work. A hammer-actuated nailer is about $15 per day; add $15 or so for the nails required to do a 200-square-foot room.

If you’re installing unfinished flooring, sanding equipment (drum sander, edge sander and sandpaper) will be about $75 a day.

Reprinted from the pages of Today’s Homeowner magazine. To receive more expert advice on improving your home, call (800) 456-6369 or visit the Web site at https://www.todayshomeowner.com.