When choosing a hardwood flooring, thickness matters. It’s one of the first things to consider aside from the hardness. You’ll typically pay more for a thicker floor so it’s a good idea to find out all you can about hardwood flooring thickness.
Thickness…Plus
It’s true that thickness is vital when picking wood flooring but it is only one part of the equation. Other factors must be met as well. When combined with other features, thickness contributes to the best flooring product possible.
Solid hardwood flooring is typically ¾ inch thick. Flooring that strays from that exact thickness is not part of the mainstream market because across the board, the ¾ inch rule reigns.
Engineered hardwood flooring, however, has two standard thicknesses – 3/8 inch and ½ inch. Flooring that is imported to North America runs around 10mm if it’s 3/8 inch and 12.5mm for ½ inch flooring.
The thicker the flooring in engineered hardwood types, the more stable it is. Also, the thicker the wood, the more expensive it is. If you run across a great “bargain” on engineered wood flooring, check into it. Chances are good that it is thinner and that accounts for the price cut.
When manufacturers make cheaper engineered hardwood floors, they cut the plies the flooring is comprised of. Since the plies determine the stability, floors with less plies are not near as stable. If other factors are added in such as flooding, humidity, dry air, wood heat, direct sunlight, and so forth, engineered hardwood with less plies will tend to buck and warp.
Even if an engineered hardwood floor consists of a thicker wood layer but the plies are skimpy, the integrity of the flooring is compromised right off the bat.
To meet the criteria of being a well-made engineered hardwood floor, every factor in the mix must be up to par.
Solid Hardwood Composition
So, you insist on getting solid hardwood flooring with in the standard ¾ inch thickness only to find that the quality of the wood is lacking.
There are more things to consider than just the thickness of the wood. The type of wood and the quality of it are imperative to factor in if you want the best solid wood flooring.
Even the manufacturing of the planks is extremely important when selecting quality flooring.
The Key to Buying the Best Flooring
Indeed, there are tricks in the trade of flooring as there are in all other industries. Your best bet is to find a flooring dealer who you can trust. A professional is able to decipher good flooring from bad and will guide you through the process of finding the best flooring for your individual needs, be it engineered hardwood flooring or solid hardwood flooring.
