Hardwood • Solid Format
Solid Hardwood, Explained
Solid hardwood flooring is made from one piece of wood through its full thickness. This page explains what “solid” means and the specs you’ll commonly see on technical data sheets — reference-only, no product or install advice.
What Is Solid Hardwood?
Solid hardwood is flooring made from a single piece of wood from top to bottom. That means the surface is the material (there is no separate veneer layer like engineered hardwood).
On spec sheets, solid hardwood is commonly described using a mix of wood-spec specs (species, grade, cut), plus format specs (thickness, width, length) and surface specs (finish type, sheen, texture).
Related Pages
How Solid Hardwood Differs From Engineered
Solid hardwood is one material through its thickness. Engineered hardwood uses a real wood veneer over a layered core.
Because solid is one piece of wood, spec sheets may emphasize details like species, grade, and cut (plain-sawn / rift / quartered) more directly, while engineered spec sheets often include veneer thickness and core construction details.
Common Solid Hardwood Terms You’ll See
- Species (the wood type)
- Grade (appearance/character sorting rules)
- Cut (plain-sawn / rift-sawn / quarter-sawn)
- Prefinished / Site-Finished (finish applied at factory vs on site)
- Janka (a hardness reference point)
- Moisture Content (often on technical sheets or packaging)
Solid Hardwood Specs Glossary
One-sentence explanations of common spec-sheet items, with links to deeper spec pages.
| Spec | What It Means (1 Sentence) | Where It Appears | Deep Dive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | The wood type used for the flooring, which influences appearance and physical properties. | Construction / Appearance | Species Explained |
| Thickness | The total thickness of the board, commonly listed in inches or millimeters. | Format | Total Thickness Explained |
| Janka | A hardness reference test value often used to compare how wood species resist denting under a defined test. | Performance Reference | Janka Explained |
| Wood Finishes | The surface coating system applied to the wood, affecting sheen, feel, and resistance characteristics. | Surface / Appearance | Wood Finishes Explained |
FAQ
What Is Solid Hardwood? ⌄
Solid hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of wood through its full thickness, so the surface and core are the same material.
How Is Solid Hardwood Different From Engineered Hardwood? ⌄
Solid hardwood is one piece of wood, while engineered hardwood is layered with a real wood veneer on top of a multi-layer core.
What Specs Matter Most For Solid Hardwood? ⌄
Common specs include species, thickness, width, grade, finish type (prefinished or site-finished), and hardness (often referenced using Janka).
Does Thickness Or Width Tell You Everything About Performance? ⌄
No. Thickness and width are important format specs, but performance is influenced by species, cut, moisture content, finish system, and manufacturing details.
Reference-Only Note
This page provides general informational reference about solid hardwood terminology and specifications. It does not provide installation instructions, professional advice, or product recommendations.