Solid or engineered? Pre-finished or site-finished? White oak, red oak, or walnut? Hardwood flooring comes in so many varieties that it’s difficult to know how to make a selection. Here’s a very basic guide to terminology and the choices available.

Solid vs. Engineered

When choosing between solid and engineered hardwood flooring, it's important to understand their distinct characteristics and advantages.

Solid Hardwood Flooring:

Eutree specializes in Forest Free® solid hardwood flooring, typically 3/4-inch thick. Production involves meticulous attention to detail, offering options such as live-sawn, plain-sawn, quarter-sawn, or rift-sawn cuts. The planks are planed for a smooth, level surface and molded to fit together tongue-and-groove style, ensuring a secure grip on the sub-floor.

Solid hardwood floors are traditionally installed by both gluing and nailing them to the sub-floor. It's crucial to install solid wood in dry areas to prevent warping, although certain species like white oak are naturally more moisture-resistant. One of the significant advantages of solid hardwood is its ability to be refinished multiple times over its lifespan, allowing it to maintain its beauty for decades. This durability makes solid hardwood ideal for homes with pets, children, or heavy foot traffic.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring:

Eutree also manufactures high-quality engineered hardwood flooring, which consists of hardwood planks glued onto a plywood backing. Like solid hardwood, engineered flooring undergoes sawing, planing, and molding processes. The layered construction of engineered flooring prevents warping, as the grains of the plywood and hardwood surface run in different directions. This feature makes engineered hardwood suitable for installation over concrete subfloors and in environments with fluctuating humidity levels.

Eutree's engineered flooring stands out with its relatively thick 3/8-inch hardwood surface, ensuring durability and allowing for multiple refinishing treatments. This thickness makes it particularly suitable for high-traffic areas and commercial applications. We also offer an economical 5/8-inch thick option with 4mm wear layer suitable for both commercial and residential applications allowing for 1-2 refinises over the life of the floor.

In summary, solid hardwood flooring offers timeless beauty and the option for extensive refinishing, while engineered hardwood provides versatility for installation in diverse environments and enhanced durability through its layered construction. Choosing between the two depends largely on your specific needs, aesthetic preferences, and the conditions of your space.

Pre-finished or Site-finished

When deciding between pre-finished and site-finished hardwood flooring options, it's essential to understand the impact that the finishing process has on both aesthetics and practical performance.

Pre-finished Hardwood Flooring:

At Eutree, we offer pre-finished hardwood flooring by special order, applying environmentally safe finishes that are plant-based and free from heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This option provides customers with a convenient choice of finish colors, tones, and sheen levels that have been expertly curated by our design specialists, especially for our white oak flooring and paneling selections. When considering pre-finished hardwood flooring options, it's crucial to note an important characteristic: all pre-finished floors feature a micro beveled edge. The micro beveled edges provide a forgiving margin during ideal for installation, accommodating for minor subfloor irregularities and reducing the risk of planks becoming too snug, which can prevent warping or buckling over time. Opting for pre-finished hardwood flooring from Eutree ensures not only aesthetic versatility and environmental responsibility but also the distinctive touch of a micro beveled edge, adding elegance and style to your living space.

Site-Finished Hardwood Flooring:

Many of our customers opt for site-finished hardwood flooring because it allows for the finish to be applied after installation, ensuring a seamless and consistent surface across the entire floor. This method results in a smoother appearance, particularly along the edges and between planks. Additionally, in new construction projects, finishing the floor onsite can be scheduled towards the end of the job, minimizing the risk of damage to the finish during the building process.

Choosing between pre-finished and site-finished hardwood flooring depends on your priorities and project requirements. Pre-finished floors offer convenience and a broader selection of finishes, while site-finishing provides a tailored finish application for a flawless final appearance. Whether you prioritize ease of installation or a customized finish, Eutree ensures that your hardwood flooring choice meets your aesthetic preferences and functional needs with exceptional quality and care.

Wood species

Choosing the right wood species for your hardwood floor involves considering both practical characteristics and aesthetic appeal unique to each tree species.

White Oak:

Eutree's Forest Free® hardwood flooring predominantly features rift-sawn and quarter-sawn white oak. White oak is celebrated for its durability, exceptional water resistance, and natural beauty. Its hardness and ability to withstand moisture make it an excellent choice for long-lasting flooring solutions. White oak accepts finishes and a broad range of color options beautiful; especially when paired with a wire brushed texture. In addition to our rift and quarter-sawn options, we also provide white oak in variety of other cuts: European-sawn (live-sawn), plain-saw, rough sawn, and skip sawn.

Red Oak:

Red oak is another popular choice known for its warmth and traditional appeal. It's slightly softer than white oak but still offers good durability and a distinctive grain pattern that adds character to any space. If you’re looking for an economical option, consider red oak as it can sometimes be available at a better price point than white oak. When a darker finish is applied is is often indistinguishable to white oak

Pecan (Hickory):

Pecan, a type of hickory, is another popular choice due to its exceptional hardness. This makes pecan flooring particularly suitable for areas with high foot traffic, providing durability and resilience against wear and tear over time.

Black Walnut:

Black walnut is prized for its rich, dark hues and luxurious appearance. It's softer than oak but offers excellent stability and a unique grain pattern that enhances the elegance of any room. Black walnut flooring is often chosen for its beauty and the richness it adds to interior spaces.

Other Species:

Eutree also offers a selection of less commonly harvested species in the metro Atlanta area, including cherry, antique heart pine, and reclaimed antique oak and barnwood. These species provide unique aesthetic options and can be chosen based on specific design preferences and project requirements.

Selecting the right wood species for your hardwood floor involves considering factors such as durability, aesthetic preferences, and the specific environmental conditions of your space. Eutree's diverse range of hardwood flooring options ensures that you can find the perfect match for your needs, whether you prioritize durability, aesthetic appeal, or both.

For more information on Eutree's flooring choices, please visit our Flooring page, contact us via email at hello@eutree.com, or call us at 678-313-4110. Our team is dedicated to helping you find the ideal hardwood flooring solution that enhances your space and meets your design goals.