Basic: Solid piece of soft or hardwood; comes finished or unfinished 

Positive: Long lifespan; luster can be revived with refinishing; can be stained in different colors; increases home value.

Negative: Vulnerable to moisture; needs subflooring; can get scratched; requires professional installation. 

Basic: Made of sandwiched veneer wood and plywood 

Positive: Less expensive than solid wood; can last up to 30 years; can be installed as a floating floor; increases home value.

Negative: Doesn't last as long as solid wood, can't be refinished as much as solid wood, vulnerable to moisture, although can handle more than solid wood.

Basic: Grass, not wood, but as hard as hardwood.

Positive: Most eco-friendly; highly resistant to moisture; easy to install; can be installed as a floating floor, increases home value.

Negative: Easily scratched; humidity can make it crack; doesn't last as long as solid wood.

Basic: Vinyl flooring in plank strips 

Positive: Waterproof, easy to install, less expensive; installed as a floating floor.

Negative: Difficult to repair; may not be a convincing wood mimic for some.

Basic: Multi-layered panel with a top image layer that reproduces the look of wood or stone; comprised of wood-chip composite.

Positive: Scratch resistant, easy to install, inexpensive.

Negative: Vulnerable to moisture damage, slippery, cannot be sanded or repaired.

Basic: Made of ceramic or porcelain, main component is clay.

Positive: Waterproof, scratch resistant, easier to install than wood flooring, not as expensive as wood flooring.

Negative: Hard, cold, may not look convincingly like wood.