Traditional solid hardwood floors are comprised of a single piece of wood with tongue and groove sides. Most come unfinished, but there are many pre-finished ¾” solid wood floors.
This type of wood flooring is very sensitive to moisture. As a result, the solid planks are typically nailed down over a wood type sub-floor and not recommended for use directly over a concrete slab or below ground level (such as a floodable basement).
What’s great about solid wood floors is that they can be refinished and recoated multiple times throughout their lifespan — which can be decades or longer. You’ve probably walked on solid hardwood flooring well over a century old that carry that kind of rich patina and character that could tell fascinating tales of the past — if it could talk!
Because it’s an natural product, hardwood flooring expands and contracts in response to seasonal changes in moisture. When it’s cold outside and the heat is on inside, the wood can contract — sometimes creating unsightly gaps between planks.
When summer comes and humidity increases, wood floors can expand — causing those gaps to magically disappear! Too much moisture, however, can cause the planks to buckle or cup — not exactly trends in flooring fashion!
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