What Should I Buy: Solid Hardwood or Engineered Hardwood?
When investing in new hardwood, the first choice you'll face is between solid and engineered wood. Both hardwood options offer timeless appeal, but their structure and best uses differ significantly. Your decision should ultimately balance your home's structure (especially in high-moisture areas like Pasco or Richland) and your long-term renovation plans:
- Solid Hardwood - This classic choice is milled from a single, thick piece of timber. Since solid hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished multiple times over decades, it is the ultimate long-term investment. We generally recommend solid hardwood for above-grade installations in rooms that maintain consistent temperatures, such as living rooms and bedrooms.
- Engineered Hardwood - This innovative option is constructed with a core of high-density fiberboard or plywood topped with a layer of real wood veneer. Engineered wood is celebrated for its superior dimensional stability, meaning it handles moisture and temperature fluctuations better than solid wood. While these floors can be refinished, they are limited by the thickness of its veneer. An ideal choice for basements, concrete slab foundations, and Tri-Cities homes with radiant heating systems.
Understanding Different Hardwood Species
The wood species you select impacts the flooring's hardness, grain pattern, and color tone. We offer the most popular and durable hardwood species in the Tri-Cities area:
- Oak Hardwood Options - The timeless champion! Red Oak offers a distinctive, swirling grain pattern with warm, reddish undertones, while White Oak provides a straighter, cleaner grain and cooler, neutral tones, which are highly popular in modern Kennewick design. Oak is exceptionally durable and takes a variety of stains beautifully.
- Maple Hardwood Options - Known for its light color and very subtle, closed grain. Maple is slightly harder than oak and creates a beautifully clean, contemporary look. With a dense surface, maple wood floors are less absorbent of stain, often resulting in a lighter, more uniform final color.
- Hickory Hardwood Options - One of the hardest domestic woods available, hickory wood floors are incredibly resilient against dents and wear and a great choice for busy homes. Hickory is defined by its dramatic, prominent grain, rustic character, and significant color variation, often including multiple tones within a single plank.
- Exotic Hardwood Options - We also offer stunning imports like Brazilian Cherry or Acacia, known for their deep colors, unique grain patterns, exceptional hardness, and a truly luxurious finish.
Understanding Different Hardwood Textures & Finishes
The final aesthetic of your wood floor is determined by its texture and finish, which also play a major role in maintenance and durability:
- Smooth Hardwood Texture: The most traditional look, providing a sleek, reflective surface that highlights the wood’s natural grain and color. A classic choice for formal or refined spaces.
- Handscraped Hardwood Texture: Created to mimic the appearance of flooring scraped by hand centuries ago. Features long, subtle, repetitive grooves that give the wood floor an aged, rustic, and unique custom appearance. Excellent at concealing minor scratches and everyday wear.
- Wire-Brushed Hardwood Texture: Achieved by pulling steel bristles across the wood, this process removes the softer wood grain and leaves the harder grain exposed. The result is a refined, matte, linear texture that provides depth and character while offering superior resistance to scuffs.
- Polyurethane/Urethane Hardwood Finish: The most common finish, creating a hard, protective plastic-like film over the wood. Provides the highest durability and is available in gloss, semi-gloss, or satin levels.
- Oil-Based Hardwood Finish: These finishes soak into the wood, hardening the fibers and creating a deep, natural, low-luster look. Easier to repair locally with spot touch-ups but may require more frequent maintenance than polyurethane.