What is the Difference Between Hardwood, Softwood, and Other Wood Floors?

Hardwood floors have become synonymous with wood flooring, but it’s not the only type of wood flooring available to homeowners. So how do you know which type is right for your home?

Below, we’ve broken down of the benefits of hardwood, softwood, and engineered wood floors to help you start thinking about the type of wood floors you would like. Once you think you’ve got an idea, contact UB Hardwoods today, or stop by our showroom so we can help you choose the best flooring for your home.

Hardwood Flooring

Solid hardwood flooring has been the traditional wood flooring choice in homes for countless years, and there is a good reason for that. It’s durable and will stand the test of time in nearly every room of your home.

Quality, solid hardwood flooring is also versatile; if you are itching for a change, you can refinish your solid hardwood floors in different stains instead of replacing your flooring. Solid hardwood floors also add value to your home.

If you plan to install hardwood floors in a high-traffic area of your home, the best woods tend to be hickory, maple, white oak, ash, and red oak. These woods have a rating of 1,200 or higher on the Janka Hardness Scale, which is ideal if you are installing wood floors in a room that is used frequently.

Softwood Flooring

If you want to install wood flooring in your home, softwood flooring may be a good option. Do not be confused by the name — all wood flooring is hard, it is just that softwood flooring is made with a softer wood, which can be more susceptible to dings, dents, and scratches.

Because of this, softwood flooring can show wear faster than hardwood floors. If you are someone who likes the character that comes with a few dings, softwood flooring is a great option. If that is not you, softwood flooring is a good choice for a room that does not see a ton of foot traffic in order to limit the wear on the flooring.

Pine is probably the most common softwood used in flooring, but there are tons of other options, such as fir, cypress, cedar, spruce, and hemlock. The good news is these softer woods often cost much less than hardwoods, and sometimes can be even cheaper than vinyl flooring. Softer woods also have other perks; softwoods grow faster than hardwoods, so they are a more sustainable and environmentally friendly flooring option.

It should be noted that the durability of the floor depends not only on the species but also on the finish. The proper finish on a floor can help it hold up for years to come.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring is another option if you are looking to add wood floors to your home. This type of flooring is composed of a strong, stable wooden core and is topped by a layer of hardwood.

This option offers the beauty of wood flooring and is manufactured in a way that helps resist contraction and expansion caused by temperature and humidity changes that can happen with the solid wood flooring options mentioned above. Because of this, engineered hardwood flooring can be installed in areas where solid wood flooring cannot.

Engineered hardwood flooring performs just as well as solid wood floors and will look just as good in your home.

Contact us today!

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing between the type of wood flooring to put in your home. The experts at UB Hardwoods in Plymouth can help you determine the best flooring for every room in your home, so contact us today at 763-807-4500, or you can message us on our contact page.

Want to see the floors in person before you decide? Stop by our showroom for a look at all the options.