Pick a floor. But not just any floor.

Once you’ve decided to go with a Wood Flooring International hardwood floor, you’ve got a few more things to consider. First, of course, what type of wood do you like? We offer enough species to make that question a bit of a challenge. The good news – call us biased – but all our wood species look wonderful installed. Your taste could lead you down the road of American traditionals – the Oaks, the Maples, the Cherries. Or, it could take you to distant lands for Teak, or Jarrah, or Brazilian Walnut, to name a few. Compare color, texture and performance of your favorite wood to help you settle on just the right one.

The Hard Facts

All hardwoods are not created equally hard, so you should think about hardness when deciding on the floor you want. So how hard is the right hard? Where you’ll be putting your floor will help you decide how hard of a hardwood to choose. In rooms that’ll get heavy use, going with harder woods like Oak, Maple and Ash makes sense. We have a thing called a Janka Scale that gives us a quick look at the comparative hardness of various hardwoods. Click here to see a list of all species' hardness.

How wide can you go?

It’s all about personal taste. Widths range from Strips, which are under 3”, to Planks, which are 3” and wider. Board widths can be constant or random, again, depending on what you like. Planks can be milled to most any width if you decide to install a custom floor. Your ideal board width is really all about the look you want to achieve.

To pre…or not to pre. Pre-finished, that is.

If you want to take the easy way – and who doesn’t? – go Pre-finished. A Pre-finished floor is easier to install – and quicker to enjoy – because there’s no waiting for the sanding to be done and for the coats of finish to dry. Plus, with a site-applied finish, there’s no getting around the fumes and the dust.

Best news, though, is the durability and performance of a Wood Flooring International Pre-finished floor. We can’t call it bulletproof, but with nine coats of High-wear, UV-cured Acrylic Urethane – and Aluminum Oxide in the two base coats – it’s pretty darn close. It’s what puts the “lifetime” in lifetime of enjoyment.

Many of our wood species are also available unfinished, giving you the ultimate in flexibility to match your finish to a specific design aspect of your home, right on site.

Be edgy.

The edge profile of a wood floor is the way the edges and ends of the boards are cut. The type of edge profile – square, beveled, or eased – plays a big role in your floor’s look. Square edges and ends are for those who go for a smooth, seamless look. Beveled and eased edges and ends add a bit more drama. It’s all in what looks right to you.

Through thick and thin.

WFI wood flooring is available in a variety of thicknesses. Our Solid woods come in 3/4”, 5/8” and 3/8”. Our Engineered flooring is 5/16” thick. The thickness of your boards doesn’t affect its performance one way or the other. Your thickness depends on the wood species and widths you want.

Is there a wrong place for hardwood flooring?

Not really. As long as you choose the right floor for the right room. Our Engineered flooring goes anywhere and over most any subfloor – even concrete. Solid wood has its limits, though. Rule of thumb – don’t use Solid wood below-grade, like in the basement, or any other room where moisture lurks. Solid wood will be affected in places like this. Engineered wood flooring, on the other hand, is made to resist the effects of moisture. Learn more about hardwood flooring construction.

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