Solid... Solid as a Rock

So- this post is for those of you that are shopping for hardwood floors. There are SO MANY to choose from, different brands, different finishes, different construction, different styles, different colors- prefinished, or custom- where do you begin? We'll take it step by step.

Question for you- do you have a raised foundation, or are you on a concrete slab? I am in California, where the large majority of us are on concrete slabs. (Poor us- we have no basements). This makes a big difference - because if you are on a concrete slab, you probably do not want a solid hardwood, but rather an engineered product. What is the difference and why? Look at the side of the wood sample. Do you see just one piece of wood, or 3 or 5 thinner pieces glued together? The solid piece is a terrific choice for those of you on a raised foundation. Solid hardwood is a good choice for these reasons:

1. You can completely change your color in the future. With such a large piece of wood to work with, if you went with a dark ebony finish today, and in 15 years wanted a different color- no problem. (Ok- so it is a lot of work, and a big mess- but at least it is possible without the expense of replacing our foors - approx $3.50/ sq ft compared to the $10-$20 that a replacement would cost)

2. They might be able to survive a leak or a flood where an engeneered piece wouldn't. (Not in severe cases, but sometimes.) Let's say you had a plumbing issue in your home, or your French doors were leaking- this is sometimes the downfall of hardwood floors. There is a rasied grain in some cases, warping in others. With a solid piece, again, you have the thickness to refinish your floors. Some brands of hardwood, like Bruce- offer a higher-end engineered selection, with a thicker top layer, that actually guarantees one sanding- but most do not have the thickness to do it.

3. Statistically speaking, solid hardwood floors last 30 years, whereas engineered floors are replaced after 20.

So- When is solid not a good choice?

• If you are on a concrete slab- it is generally not a good choice. There is moisture in your slab that works its way from the ground, through your concrete, to your home. If you have carpet- this is absolutely no big deal. If you have vinyl- you may sometimes have blue or purple colors in your vinyl- or perhaps little bumps- where you think to yourself- "What a dumb installer! Why didn't he sweep!"- no no- not his fault. That is an alkali build-up as a result of heavy moisture. Ceramic tile and stone- no problem with moisture. Hardwood- you have to be more careful. Don't think- hey- I live in a dry climate- this is not a problem. It doesn't work that way. I worked in Valencia, CA for a number of years, and even with the hot, dry climate, moisture was a big issue in flooring. Solid hardwood expands and contracts more than an engineered hardwood. This makes it more susceptible to moisture issues. Keep it out of a bathroom that gets regular steamy showers (whether you are on a raised foundation or slab). And- in order to install it on your concrete slab, you need to first "waterproof" your slab. This is not as simple as just installing a piece of vinyl- it is actually very thick. That's the problem. It makes your floor so thick that you would trip where it transitions into carpet. It cannot be put in a kitchenbecasue you would never be able to get your dishwasher out for repair or replacement. Not to mention that the cost goes up with the extensive floor prep.



• When does it work? If you have brand new construction, or you are getting new kithen cabinets, you can have it installed before the cabinets go in, and then the cabinets (and diswasher) would be on top of it- not posing a problem for your dishwasher (but perhaps a future probem if you ever choose to change your floor). I did this once with a client, and she also incurred the expense of re-sheeting her carpeted areas with a thick plywood prior to carpet installation to make the height not be a trip hazard.
  
• Solid is also the product of choice when you want a hand distressed, custom finish, or both. It is also nice to have the urethane coat the entire top of the floor, not having gaps in the finish where the pieces of wood come together.

Thank you Decor fall winter 2007 for the photo- Designer Stephanie Wohlner