Width & Length – Plank flooring comes in a variety of widths and lengths. The most common widths are currently in the 5” – 6” range, but wider widths are rapidly becoming more popular. The length of your floor is also important to consider depending on the size of your space. Hardwood flooring comes in mixed lengths because imperfections are cut out of longer planks during production. Rigid Core flooring is built to size and comes in lengths ranging from 36” up to 80+”.

Floating installation: A floating installation is where the flooring is laid down in a glueless manner on top of a layer of underlay. The individual planks are locked together, and are not glued or nailed down to the subfloor. By doing this the floor is floating above the underlay, and can be laid on top of existing tile or marble, without the risk of damaging the subflooring.
There are some characteristics that are common to each category: solid wood is more frequently site-finished, is always in a plank format, is generally thicker than engineered wood, and is usually installed by nailing. Engineered wood is more frequently pre-finished, has bevelled edges, is very rarely site-finished, and is installed with glue or as a floating installation. [6]
No matter what type of hardwood flooring you choose, proper care and maintenance will help them look beautiful even longer. First off, don’t let the dirt and dust collect. At least once a week, you’ll want to go over your hardwood floors with a broom or dust mop to pick up any dirt, dust, hair or pet dander. If you’re using a vacuum, make sure it’s set to ‘wood floors’ so that you’re not beating up your floors and damaging them in the process. Denver Hardwood Flooring
^{It can be sanded down and refinished five, six, even seven times. And, if maintained properly, you won’t have to do it for 20 years. Refinishing a floor may be messy and troublesome, but most homeowners learn to live with it. After all, it costs five times as much to replace hardwood floors than it does to refinish them. For some people that is reason enough. Denver Hardwood Flooring}

Cupped floors, also called washboarding, develops gradually across the width of the wood strip where the edges of the hardwood planks raise up and the center of the board sinks down. The cause of cupped floors is a moisture imbalance where there is more water on the bottom side of the wood plank than on the top. The only cure is to balance the humidity levels in your home, and to give the surface time to return back to normal. After the floor has stabilized, you can have a professional sand it flat and re-finish it to perfection. Hardwood Floors

Solid hardwood floors are made of planks milled from a single piece of timber. Solid hardwood floors were originally used for structural purposes, being installed perpendicular to the wooden support beams of a building known as joists or bearers. With the increased use of concrete as a subfloor in some parts of the world, engineered wood flooring has gained some popularity. However, solid wood floors are still common and popular. Solid wood floors have a thicker wear surface and can be sanded and finished more times than an engineered wood floor.[2] It is not uncommon for homes in New England, Eastern Canada, USA, and Europe to have the original solid wood floor still in use today. Denver Hardwood Flooring
Cupped floors, also called washboarding, develops gradually across the width of the wood strip where the edges of the hardwood planks raise up and the center of the board sinks down. The cause of cupped floors is a moisture imbalance where there is more water on the bottom side of the wood plank than on the top. The only cure is to balance the humidity levels in your home, and to give the surface time to return back to normal. After the floor has stabilized, you can have a professional sand it flat and re-finish it to perfection.
Check the flatness of the subfloor. Use a straight piece of lumber that is between 8 and 10 feet in length to find any areas of the subfloor that aren't level. Simply lay down the plank and look for dips beneath it or raised humps. Mark any problem spots you find. Move the plank across the floor 1 way, then turn it diagonally and go across the surface again.[6]
Because tongue-and-groove boards are locked in place, removal involves cutting out the middle of each damaged board. The easiest way is to bore a 1-in.-dia. hole through both ends of each damaged board (photo 1). Then use a circular saw to connect the two holes (photo 2). Follow these steps to safely make the plunge cuts you need to repair your hardwood floors: 1. Adjust the depth of cut to the thickness of the floorboards. Plug in the saw and put on eye protection. 2. Pull back the retractable blade guard with your thumb. Then hold the nose of the baseplate on the floorboard and lift up the rear of the saw. 3. Align the blade with the right edge of one of the holes. Make sure the blade isn't touching the floor, then squeeze the trigger and slowly lower the spinning blade into the board. 4. Grip the saw firmly with both hands and guide it in a straight line until you cut into the right edge of the hole at the opposite end of the board. 5. Move back to the first hole, align the blade with the left edge and cut to the left edge of the second hole. Pry out the middle section with a hammer and chisel. Chop out the remaining edges, being careful not to damage any surrounding boards (photo 3). The "tongue" piece will be nailed in place, so break it out in small pieces. Then pull out the nails with a hammer or locking pliers. The existing floorboards have a tongue and groove milled on each end and along the edges. Chop off the tongue exposed by the board you just removed so you can slip in the new board (photo 4).

Some benefits of wood flooring include ease of cleaning, durability, and style variety. Wood floors are much easier to keep clean than carpet and pet hair or dander is quick to remove. They are very durable and with proper care, they will look great for years to come. Plus, wood flooring is available in a multitude of styles and colors guaranteeing there is a look out there for a classic or contemporary home. Denver Hardwood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring consists of two or more layers of wood adhered together to form a plank. Typically, engineered wood flooring uses a thin layer (lamella) of a more expensive wood bonded to a core constructed from cheaper wood. The increased stability of engineered wood is achieved by running each layer at a 90° angle to the layer above. This stability makes it a universal product that can be installed over all types of subfloors above, below or on grade. Engineered wood is the most common type of wood flooring in Europe and has been growing in popularity in North America[4]. Denver Hardwood Flooring
Floating installation: A floating installation is where the flooring is laid down in a glueless manner on top of a layer of underlay. The individual planks are locked together, and are not glued or nailed down to the subfloor. By doing this the floor is floating above the underlay, and can be laid on top of existing tile or marble, without the risk of damaging the subflooring. Denver Hardwood Flooring

Put on gloves, knee pads, and protective eye glasses. You'll be working diligently on your hands and knees for hours to complete this project, especially if you're doing a large space. Invest in a good pair of knee pads to protect your knees. Sturdy work gloves will protect your hands from splinters, and goggles will prevent sawdust and other debris from getting into your eyes.[1]

A buckled floor happens when the boards warp and lift up from the subfloor that they are attached to. You’ll most likely need to call in a hardwood floor installer to identify the root of the problem if buckling is an issue. Once the cause of your buckling has been identified, you’ll need to take the necessary measures to ensure that your hardwood planks are firmly attached to the subfloor so that the problem no longer persists. Hardwood Floors