Let’s explore all 14 Different Styles of Wood Floors
Wood flooring comes in a variety of styles, each offering its own aesthetic appeal, construction method, and functional benefits. The right style depends on the look you want to achieve, the level of durability needed, and your personal preferences. Here are the main styles of wood flooring:
1. Solid Hardwood Flooring
- Description: Made from a single piece of wood, solid hardwood floors are prized for their durability and natural beauty. They can be sanded and refinished multiple times over their lifespan.
- Popular Wood Species: Oak, maple, walnut, cherry, hickory, and ash.
- Thickness: Typically ranges from ¾ inch to 5/16 inch.
- Installation: Typically nailed or glued down. Solid wood expands and contracts with humidity changes, so it’s best suited for environments with stable humidity levels.
- Style: Traditional and timeless; available in various widths and lengths.
- Best For: High-traffic areas and rooms that don’t experience major moisture fluctuations, like living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms.
- Pros: Long-lasting, can be refinished multiple times, high resale value.
- Cons: Susceptible to moisture and temperature changes, can be expensive.
2. Engineered Wood Flooring
- Description: Engineered wood is constructed from multiple layers of wood veneer bonded together with heat and pressure. The top layer is real hardwood, while the inner layers are made from plywood or high-density fiberboard (HDF). It’s more resistant to moisture and temperature changes than solid wood.
- Popular Wood Species: Oak, walnut, maple, and hickory and cherry.
- Thickness: Varies, with the top layer usually being 2mm to 6mm thick.
- Installation: Can be installed using floating, glue-down, or nail-down methods. It’s more versatile and can be installed in basements or over radiant heating.
- Style: Available in various widths, lengths, and finishes, offering a similar look to solid hardwood.
- Best For: Rooms with fluctuating temperatures or moisture, like basements, kitchens, and bathrooms.
- Pros: More resistant to moisture, can be installed in more environments, less expensive than solid wood.
- Cons: Limited refinishing ability depending on the thickness of the top veneer layer.
You can check out our Solid and Engineered Wood Flooring Guide where I go in more depth on the differences between these two types of products.
3. Parquet Flooring
- Description: Parquet flooring consists of small wood pieces arranged in intricate geometric patterns, such as herringbone, chevron, or basketweave. It adds a decorative and sophisticated feel to any space.
- Wood Species: Commonly made from oak, walnut, or maple.
- Installation: Typically glued down due to the smaller blocks used. It requires precise alignment to achieve the intricate patterns.
- Style: Often used in formal rooms or heritage properties for a classic and elegant look.
- Best For: Formal or heritage properties, rooms where a sophisticated or unique look is desired.
- Pros: Visually striking, highly customizable, adds value to a home.
- Cons: Can be more expensive and difficult to install, requires precise alignment.
4. Reclaimed Wood Flooring
- Description: Made from wood salvaged from old buildings, barns, or warehouses, reclaimed wood has a rustic, weathered appearance that brings character and history to a space. Each plank is unique, often showing saw marks, nail holes, and other signs of aging.
- Wood Species: Oak, pine, chestnut, and maple are common species used.
- Installation: Like solid hardwood, it can be nailed or glued down.
- Style: Ideal for rustic, industrial, or farmhouse-style homes, with a focus on sustainability.
- Best For: Eco-conscious homeowners, rustic or industrial design styles.
- Pros: Environmentally friendly, rich character, and history, durable.
- Cons: Can be expensive, limited availability, may require extra care in installation.
5. Bamboo Flooring
- Description: Though technically a grass, bamboo flooring offers a hardwood-like appearance and is often categorized as wood flooring due to its similar characteristics. It’s environmentally friendly and highly durable.
- Types: Horizontal, vertical, and strand-woven (the strongest form of bamboo flooring).
- Installation: Typically glued or nailed, but some types are available in click-lock for floating installation.
- Style: Modern and eco-conscious, often seen in contemporary or minimalist interiors.
- Best For: Eco-conscious homeowners and those seeking a modern look.
- Pros: Durable (especially strand-woven), environmentally friendly, affordable.
- Cons: Susceptible to moisture damage, can be sensitive to humidity fluctuations.
6. Laminate Wood Flooring
- Description: Laminate flooring mimics the appearance of hardwood but is made from composite wood materials topped with a photographic image of wood grain and a protective wear layer. While not real wood, it’s an affordable and durable option for high-traffic areas.
- Types and Appearance: Available in a variety of wood-look designs, from oak to exotic species.
- Installation: Installed using a floating click-lock method over underlayment, making it easy to install.
- Style: Available in a wide variety of colors and wood-look patterns, from oak to exotic species.
- Best For: High-traffic areas, homes with pets, or those on a budget.
- Pros: Budget-friendly, durable, easy to install, resistant to scratches and dents.
- Cons: Can’t be refinished, less authentic than real wood, may feel less solid underfoot.
7. Hand-Scraped Wood Flooring
- Description: Hand-scraped or distressed wood flooring mimics the appearance of old, reclaimed wood. The surface has subtle or heavy scraping, dents, and marks to give it a rustic and time-worn look.
- Wood Species: Often made from oak, hickory, or walnut.
- Installation: Can be either solid or engineered wood and installed using standard methods like glue or nail-down.
- Style: Popular in rustic or country-style homes, it adds texture and character to a room.
- Best For: Rustic, country, or vintage-inspired homes that want character and texture.
- Pros: Unique, adds character, hides scratches and imperfections well.
- Cons: Can be more expensive due to the handcrafted finish.
Check out our blog on Hand-Scraped Flooring
8. Wire-Brushed Wood Flooring
- Description: Wire-brushed flooring has a textured surface created by brushing away the soft wood fibers to expose the grain patterns. This process enhances the natural grain while providing a subtle, weathered look.
- Wood Species: Typically oak, hickory, maple.
- Installation: Available in both solid and engineered wood.
- Style: Offers a balance of contemporary and rustic appeal, often used in modern or transitional interiors.
- Best For: Contemporary or modern spaces looking for subtle texture.
- Pros: Hides imperfections, offers a refined yet rustic appearance.
- Cons: Can be more expensive due to the additional processing.
9. High-Gloss Wood Flooring
- Description: High-gloss wood floors are coated with a reflective finish that creates a shiny, mirror-like surface. While visually stunning, they tend to show scratches and wear more easily than other finishes.
- Wood Species: Typically made from hardwood species like oak, maple, or walnut.
- Installation: Can be installed in the same way as solid or engineered wood.
- Style: Ideal for formal spaces and rooms with minimal foot traffic.
- Best For: Formal rooms, low-traffic areas.
- Pros: Visually stunning, adds elegance and sophistication.
- Cons: Shows scratches, dust, and imperfections more easily.
10. Matte Wood Flooring
- Description: Matte flooring features a low-sheen finish, which provides a more natural and subtle appearance. This type of finish is ideal for hiding scratches and imperfections.
- Wood Species: Available in a variety of hardwood species, particularly oak and maple.
- Installation: Similar to other solid or engineered wood floors.
- Style: Works well in casual and modern spaces, offering a more relaxed and understated look.
- Best For: Casual, modern, or Scandinavian-style homes.
- Pros: Hides scratches and wear better than glossy finishes, more natural look.
- Cons: May look less formal or luxurious than high-gloss finishes.
11. Chevron and Herringbone Patterns
- Description: These are decorative patterns, typically used with parquet blocks, where the wood pieces are laid at an angle to create a “V” shape. Chevron has a continuous zigzag pattern with mitered edges, while herringbone has an interlocking, zigzag look.
- Wood Species: Oak, walnut and maple.
- Installation: Requires precise placement and is often glued down.
- Style: Adds a touch of elegance and sophistication, commonly used in high-end or traditional settings.
- Best For: Homes wanting a high-end, decorative look.
- Pros: Timeless and elegant, adds visual interest.
- Cons: More expensive and labor-intensive to install.
12. Wide-Plank Flooring
- Description: As the name suggests, wide-plank flooring uses wider boards, typically 5-12 inches wide. This style emphasizes the wood grain and reduces the number of seams in the floor, giving a more expansive feel to the room.
- Wood Species: Popular choices include oak, pine, and walnut.
- Installation: Installed similarly to other wood floors, though wider planks may require more precision to avoid warping.
- Style: Perfect for creating a rustic or contemporary look, wide planks make the floor look less busy.
- Best For: Larger spaces, rustic or contemporary designs that favor a more expansive feel.
- Pros: Reduces the number of seams, enhances the wood grain, offers a luxurious look.
- Cons: More prone to warping in humid environments, more expensive.
13. Stained Wood Flooring
- Description: Stained wood floors are treated with a colored stain to alter the natural appearance of the wood. The stain can enhance the grain or completely change the wood’s natural tone, offering more color variety than the raw wood.
- Wood Species: Oak and maple are common choices for staining due to their neutral tone.
- Installation: Staining is done after sanding and before applying the protective finish.
- Style: Allows for endless colour options, from natural hues to darker, richer tones like walnut or ebony.
14. Cork Flooring
- Description: Cork flooring is made from the bark of cork oak trees. It’s known for its natural cushioning, warmth, and sound absorption.
- Appearance: Available in natural shades of brown, but can also be stained or painted.
- Installation: Usually installed as a floating floor or glued down.
- Best For: Rooms where comfort underfoot is important, like kitchens or playrooms.
- Pros: Comfortable, eco-friendly, soft and warm underfoot, soundproof.
- Cons: Can dent easily, requires regular sealing to protect against moisture.
Conclusion
Wood flooring comes in a wide range of styles, each offering unique aesthetics and functional qualities. From the timeless beauty of solid hardwood to the modern convenience of engineered wood, and from intricate parquet patterns to the rugged charm of reclaimed or hand-scraped floors, there’s a wood floor style to suit any design preference or lifestyle. Choosing the right style depends on the look you want to achieve, the level of traffic in the space, and your budget. We have many different samples at our shop if you want to explore them closely.
For any wood flooring queries please contact us on 07891 268265 or by visiting our Contact Page