Hardwood Flooring in Dothan, AL

Hardwood floors are a beautiful addition to any home. Whether you’re looking for the perfect touch of charm or want to add warmth to your design, Brian-Holloway Carpet One Floor & Home hardwood floors are an excellent choice. But how do you know which is better, solid hardwood or engineered hardwood? There are many differences between solid and engineered hardwood, and we’ll help you understand the pros and cons of each to determine which one is best for your space.
Solid hardwood has been around for many years, and while solid hardwood has changed over time, the natural look and beauty of solid wood floors continue to offer a touch of warmth in any home design. Solid wood differs from engineered wood, particularly in its construction. Solid hardwood floors are milled from one piece of wood, unlike engineered floors. Additionally, solid hardwood floors can be refinished a number of times depending on the thickness, unlike engineered wood floors.
Engineered hardwood floors are constructed from genuine wood. However, when creating engineered wood planks, multiple plies of wood are glued together in a cross-grain pattern. On top of the cross-grain wood pattern, a genuine piece of wood is placed on top, which gives engineered hardwood its natural, genuine wood beauty. Then, the layers are bonded under high heat and pressure. Unlike solid hardwood, this construction makes engineered wood more dimensionally stable, which means less expansion and contraction with changes in moisture and humidity levels.

Solid vs. Engineered Hardwood Flooring Comparison Guide

Hardwood Species and Sizes

Both solid and engineered hardwood floors are made with genuine wood in a variety of species. When it comes to the exterior appearance, the wood species of engineered or solid hardwood is typically what determines the look of the wood floors. Different species have varying graining, characteristics, and hardness ratings. Both engineered and solid wood floors are available in a number of species, stains, finishes, and styles.

• Solid hardwood flooring is generally anywhere from 3/4 inches thick to 7/16 inches thick. As far as width, solid wood floors can vary from one product to another, with 2 ¼ to 3 ¼ inches wide being some of the most popular. However, solid hardwood floors also come in wide plank options like 5-inch and 7-inch widths.
• Engineered hardwood floors are also available in wood species like white oak, red oak, maple, and more. They are also available in several widths, like 2 ¼ and 3 ¼, as well as 5 inches, and a number of other widths. The style of wood floor you are looking for will likely be available in both solid and engineered wood floor options, so it’s best to make your choice based on the features that you need in your home.

Durability and Maintenance of Hardwood Floors

• Solid Hardwood Planks: Each species of hardwood has a unique hardness rating that will determine how likely it is to become dented. Dropping heavy furniture or other items on solid wood floors can cause dents that cannot be removed or repaired. In addition, solid hardwood is not ideal for homes where spills and accidents are common because it is likely to become damaged with sitting liquid or water. 
• Engineered Floor Planks: Because of how engineered hardwood floors are constructed, they are known for being more stable than solid wood. Engineered wood floors can handle changes in moisture and humidity. However, engineered hardwood can be scratched from sliding heavy furniture or pet claws.

How Much Does Hardwood Flooring Cost?

Solid hardwood floors can be more costly than engineered hardwood floors, but there are many factors to consider when looking at the cost of both. The installation method, amount of labor needed, cost of labor, region, and subfloor condition can all play a role in the overall cost of solid hardwood. As far as the cost of the material, engineered hardwood is often comparable in price to solid hardwood. However, because engineered hardwood can be either glued down, nailed down, or floated, the installation cost may be less for engineered hardwood.

Professional Hardwood Flooring Installation

Solid hardwood floors are suitable for most areas of your home, like bedrooms, living rooms, offices, and more. They are not ideal for areas that are prone to moisture. Because solid wood floors are likely to expand and contract, we recommend having them professionally installed. Engineered hardwood floors perform better when exposed to moisture, they can be installed in almost any space in your home. Living rooms, bedrooms, offices, hallways, staircases, and kitchens are just a few of the areas where engineered wood is ideal. Below-grade rooms like finished basements, and finished attics are also areas where engineered wood can be installed. We recommend hiring a professional to install both types of hardwood because of the difficulty and technical knowledge required to complete the job.

No matter what your preferences are, trust Brian-Holloway Carpet One Floor & Home for your professional flooring installation. Our team of flooring experts is ready to help you from shopping to installation on your new flooring journey. We are so confident in our installation that we have warranties in place such as “The Beautiful Guarantee.” If within 30 days you no longer love your floors, we will happily replace them for little to no extra cost. Stop by our showroom to see how our flooring professionals can help make your home renovation efficient and seamless. 

Contact us or stop by our Dothan, AL showroom. We proudly serve the surrounding Greater Wiregrass communities.