Today, flooring options are much more diverse than the traditional 3/4" thick by 2 1/4" wide boards that were nailed to the subfoor. While the most common species of solid wood floors are still red oak, white oak and maple, a wide variety of domestic and exotic species have been introduced into the market. The construction of solid flooring has also changed. Planks range between 2 1/4" to a robust 6" wide and are now available in 3/8" or 1/2" thicknesses that can be glued as well as nailed.

Solid wood floors are constructed of one solid piece of wood and milled with one tongue and one groove edge. Solid flooring comes either unfinished or prefinished. Unfinished floors are stained and varnished after installation. Prefinished floors are finished in the factory under controlled conditions and are ready to be enjoyed immediately after installation. Bellawood hardwood flooring comes with a 50-year prefinished aluminum oxide finish that makes it nearly maintenance free for years to come.

Characteristics to consider when choosing 3/4" solid wood flooring:

• Can be sanded and refinished multiple times.
• Can be installed over a wood subfloor using a nail-down method of installation.
• Reacts more drastically to moisture than other wood flooring products.
• Should be installed above grade and acclimated properly.
• Has the natural beauty of a solid wood product.

Characteristics to consider when choosing 3/8" solid wood flooring:

• Can be sanded and refinished multiple times.
• Can be installed over a wood subfloor using either a nail-down or glue-down method of installation.
• Can be installed over a concrete subfloor using a glue-down method of installation.
• Can not be installed below grade.
• Reacts less to moisture than it's 3/4" counterpart.
• Has the natural beauty of a solid wood product.