Hardwood Flooring

Searching for the perfect hardwood floor can be a very complicated process, especially if you are not informed about the many types of products that are available. Whether you are replacing an old, damaged hardwood floor, laying a new floor over plywood or concrete, or looking for a more economical "floating floor", this is the page to start your journey.

First, perhaps the most important decision is WHERE in your house do you plan on installing the hardwood floor? Solid Hardwood must only be installed on a plywood subfloor at or above ground level.

If you are looking to install a hardwood floor directly to a cement slab, below ground level, or in a humid location, you should consider an Engineered Hardwood floor. An important note is that engineered floors can also be installed on plywood, or above ground, however we recommend installing a solid hardwood floor whenever possible.

Locations

We pride ourselves on offering top quality hardwood flooring to the people of Atlanta and all surrounding cities in the Metro area. We have been setting the standard for quality and value in Metro Atlanta since 2000.

Solid Hardwood Floors

Usually solid hardwood flooring comes as the standard strip red oak flooring that is ¾ inches thick and 2 ¼ inches wide. While this is the most popular, solid hardwood flooring also comes numerous sizes between 3 ¼ inches and 6 inches plank flooring. It is possible to get flooring less than 2 ¼ wide, or larger than 6 inches wide but it has to be custom milled. Floorboards come in general lengths from 12 inches to 84 inches , this helps the floor have a more natural look. There are many species of hardwood available but the most popular is Red Oak hardwood flooring, White Oak hardwood flooring, and Maple hardwood flooring

Engineered Hardwood Floors

Engineered hardwood flooring is real hardwood, for many it can be the right middle-ground between solid hardwood and laminate. It also is also very versatile, you can install engineered hardwood on plywood, concrete, on the main floor, second floor, and even the basement, where solid hardwood is not able to be installed.

• It is the right choice for basements, where moisture is common.
• On concrete subfloors, where it can be glued down.
• Locations with extreme climate conditions.

Engineered Hardwood floors are available in as many colors, cuts, finishing and surface textures as solid hardwood.

Hardwood Floors Center offers the most popular lines of engineered wood floors from trusted hardwood brands. With engineered hardwood flooring your home will have the attractive, durable, long-lasting value as traditional solid hardwood with at a more reasonable price.

Types of Hardwood Flooring

Once you have chosen between solid and engineered hardwood, you should choose the width of the strips/planks you are looking for. Wood greater than 2-1/4" wide is typically referred to as Plank flooring, whereas wood equal to or less than 2-1/4" wide is typically referred to as Strip flooring. Most homes have 2" or 2-1/4" strip flooring, although plank flooring was a popular choice in the 60s and 70s, and continues its resurgence today!

Hardwood Species

Do you prefer the traditional elegance of oak? Is the natural blonde color of maple appealing to you? There are dozens of hardwood and softwood flooring options out there, even though 99% of all homes have oak flooring. Picking out a species also involves considering which species is more dense (able to resist denting), which accepts a stain better (if you plan of applying a stain), and which is easier to sand and maintain. A sales representative can assist you with this daunting task.

Hardwood Thickness

A Solid Hardwood floor is usually available in multiple thicknesses, manufactured to help match new floors to existing floors and provide a variety of flooring options for those looking for even more choices! Although it wouldn't seem so, thinner wood tends to cost more than thicker wood! This is due to the excess waste associated with milling thin wood (the thinner pieces result in more waste, which must be figured into the cost of the product). Wood is normally available in 1/4", 3/8" (for engineered floors), 1/2", 9/16", 5/8", and 3/4" wood. A thicker solid hardwood floor usually translates to a longer life, since the thicker floors can be sanded more times than a thinner floor.

Hardwood Floor Refinishing

Many people have beautiful hardwood hidden underneath their carpets, and even more people have exposed hardwood that is dulled and unattractive. For those with existing hardwood, sanding and refinishing the floors is a great way to revitalize an old floor.

Hardwood can be sanded down to the raw wood (removing 1/32" to 1/16" of the top layer of your hardwood floor) and refinished with sealing coats of polyurethane. The sanding brings out the original beauty in the wood, while the polyurethane seals and protects the floor, providing a long lasting finish.

Sanding and refinishing a floor is the best way to revitalize a floor, mainly because it is not very expensive, and the results turn out beyond expectation! Some people opt to stain their floors a darker color, such as mahogany. The staining process is done before the polyurethane, and usually lasts until the floors are sanded again.

Unlike most flooring products, hardwood is very durable, and carries a long life. However, sanding the floors is not an infinite process, and it is possible to "run out" of sandings. This is normally evident when you can see the installer's nails appearing between the boards of the floor. This is a good sign your floors cannot be sanded again.

Hardwood Flooring Cost

There are many things that have to be considered when determining the cost of hardwood floors. Typically, hardwood flooring costs between $8.00 and $12.00 a square foot (sq ft). The following factors determine who much you'll pay for hardwood floors.

Solid vs Engineered

Plank vs Strip: How wide are the boards? Thicker is usally more expensive.

Species: Red Oak is the most popular, and cost effective. Pine and Maple are typically more expensive, Bamboo flooring is usually cheaper.

Thickness: Believe it or not, thinner boards are more expensive because of the waste created. Companies factor this into the cost. Solid hardwood, which is thicker, cannot always be used due to sub-flooring and other factors.

Brands: Some brands cost more than others because of quality and reputation.

How much will it cost you for the hardwood floors you want? Get a Free, No Obligation Quote!

Hardwood Floor Brands

We offer the most popular and highest quality brands of solid and engineered hardwood flooring at very competitive pricing. We offer the following brands because they are recognized for their outstanding beauty, performance and value.

Bruce Hardwood Floors: Bruce redefines tradition by bringing affordable luxury into the home. Bruce is the No. 1 best-selling, most-recognized hardwood flooring brand in the world. The brand defines, and redefines, traditional styles that appeal to changing tastes and lifestyles.

Mohawk: Headquartered in Calhoun, Georgia, Mohawk designs, manufactures and markets a variety of hardwood flooring products, but also woven and tufted broadloom carpet, area and accent rugs and mats. Mohawk Industries is one of the world's largest floor covering manufacturers and distributors and is a leading producer of yarn, ceramic tile, area rugs and bath mats.

Shaw: Carrying a rich history from its rise as a family company to a part of Berkshire Hathaway, Shaw Floors has maintained its commitment to providing the highest quality service while remaining competitive in its pricing. We are proud to carry this reputable collection online and provide it to you, our visitor.

Tarkett: With a mission to be the best, Tarkett has evolved as one of the preeminent hardwood flooring manufacturers in the industry. While this adage is typical of most manufacturers, Tarkett sets itself apart.

Somerset: Somerset" ¾ inch thick solid hardwood flooring is manufactured in Somerset, Kentucky, in the heart of Appalachian timberlands.

Columbia Flooring: Columbia Hardwood and Laminate floors have grown to be an industry leader of quality flooring covering products through the philosophy that quality manufacturing begets quality results. Columbia produces domestic flooring in a variety of formats, both solid and engineered, to display this dedication to integrity.

BR 111 Exotic Woods: Celebrating its 15th anniversary, BR-111 exotic woods continues to be a leader in the exotic hardwood flooring arena, providing products that are recognized for their beauty, performance and overall value. Exciting new hardwood species and innovative products, ranging from prefinished solids to engineered flooring, are researched and developed annually in an on-going effort to achieve the ultimate level of quality.

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