Have you been debating whether you should install hardwood flooring or carpet in your new house? Hardwood flooring options provide a long life expectancy, cleaning ease, and increased home value.

More and more people are choosing hardwood flooring, with the market seeing a six percent increase last year.

But, did you know that there are many different types of wood flooring you can choose from? Here’s what you need to know about your options and what’s trending.

1. Solid Hardwood Flooring

Solid hardwood is one of the most common types of hardwood floors. Solid hardwood is exactly how it sounds, solid pieces of wood make up your flooring.

Businesses like https://www.harmanfloors.com/ have a large collection of finishes. You can choose from traditional options like oak, maple, walnut, ash, beech, birch, or hickory.

Solid hardwood flooring is popular due to its durability and natural beauty. These wood pieces are not manufactured, so each piece is unique and adds character to your home.

2. Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring uses modern hardwood floor materials. The planks are made by pressing multiple layers of wood together.

Different than laminate flooring, engineered hardwood flooring still consists of actual wood pieces. But the engineered aspect means the flooring is less susceptible to moisture. The engineered hardwood allows the wood to expand and contract without harming your flooring.

People love engineered hardwood flooring because of its versatility. It’s installable in almost every room of your house, including basements. The price is often lowered than solid hardwood flooring.

3. Acrylic Hardwood Flooring

Acrylic hardwood flooring is another one of the popular hardwood flooring options.

Acrylic flooring starts as engineered hardwood, but then acrylic is added to fill in the wood cells. This gives the hardwood flooring further durability and strength.

Another added benefit is since the stain is forced into the wood cells, even if parts of your floor wears down, its color will remain consistent.

4. Exotic Hardwood Flooring

Looking for unique kinds of wood flooring? Check out exotic hardwood flooring.

Exotic hardwood flooring refers to the unique wood used for the flooring. This often includes woods like Brazilian cherry, Santos mahogany, teak, iroko, and wenge.

These exotic floors come with a larger price tag but guarantee they will be the centerpiece of any home design.

5. Rustic Hardwood Flooring

Rustic hardwood flooring has recently made its appearance as trendy hardwood floors styles.

To get the rustic look, designers use larger and wider planks of wood. Instead of going for a uniform design, the more aged a piece of wood is, the better.

By using different sizes and aged planks, your hardwood floors instantly become an art piece.

Beyond the Types of Wood Flooring

Now that you know all the different types of wood flooring, it’s time to choose yours today.

Consider these elements when choosing your flooring:

• Style and design of the overall room
• Your price range
• Ability to install yourself or hire a contractor

Want to make sure your hardwood floors remain pristine? Check out this article for protecting your hardwood floors during a move.