What’s Underneath it All? Choosing the Right Wood Flooring for Your Kitchen Remodel

Warm, durable, and adaptable to every home’s style, wood flooring is a popular choice for kitchen remodeling. There are several options to consider when selecting the right wood flooring for your home.

Hardwood Floors
Solid hardwood floors are timeless in style and can last a lifetime with proper care. They also provide better air quality in a home by trapping less allergens than other floor types. There are hundreds of woods to choose from, including Cherry, Walnut, Maple, Hickory, or Birch, along with many exotic species. Each hardwood floor will be distinct because of the variations found in nature. Unlike other wood flooring options, hardwood cannot be installed straight on concrete or on top of an existing floor. While initially a larger investment than some other flooring choices, hardwood floors add substantial resale value to your home.

Engineered Wood Floors
The top layer of an engineered wood floor is the same genuine hardwood as a solid hardwood floor. Giving the appearance of solid wood, an engineered wood floor is actually a thin wood layer over 3-12 layers of plywood, high density fiberboard, or hardwood. Engineered wood is more resistant to damage from moisture or humidity than solid hardwood flooring and is more adaptable in application, as it can be installed on top of existing concrete or a wood sub-floor. Just like hardwood, engineered wood is available in a vast array of wood species and has an excellent resale value in your home. When working with a budget, engineered wood is the middle ground between solid hardwood flooring and wood laminate flooring.

Luxury Vinyl Wood Floors
Design and technology combine in luxury vinyl wood flooring, presenting an alternative material that looks remarkably like hardwood. Authentic hardwood colors and textures are created in realistic plank lengths and widths, some featuring beveled edges and ends. Luxury vinyl is built to last with several layers. The top protective layer is made of an enhanced urethane that makes it easy to clean and resistant to scratches and scuffs. A protective clear film layer adds durability and helps protect against rips, tears and gouges. The printed design layer recreates the look of natural wood planks in very realistic detail. Luxury vinyl wood flooring is water-resistant, durable, easy to maintain and can be installed on any surface.

Wood Laminate Floors
Wood laminate flooring is a remarkable simulation of wood that provides the appearance of solid hardwood flooring at a much lower cost. This innovative alternative to hardwood flooring is composed of several layers of materials. The core layer is usually made of high density fiberboard. A decorative layer, which is a photograph of wood, is fused on top of the core. Wood laminate floors are easy to clean and durable, making them a popular choice in homes with pets  or children.

Which wood flooring is right for you? Our professional design team can guide you through your options as you select the floor that best expresses your personal vision for the kitchen remodel of your dreams.