The main thing you’ll want to consider is whether you want solid hardwood, or engineered wood. As the name implies, solid is one piece of wood all the way through, while engineered is a real wood veneer on top of a composite backing. Since solid wood cannot be placed in below grade areas of your home, and react to humidity and changes in temperature, some people choose engineered wood instead.
Both materials can be refinished, which both add to the lifespan and looks of the flooring. However, the solid variety can be refinished several times, while engineered can only be refinished once or twice, depending upon the thickness of the veneer. Refinishing not only restores the like-new finish to your beautiful floors. During the process, you can even select a new finish, such as hand scraped, or a different stain color, to match a change in your home’s décor.