Wood is the new ceramic tile.

That is according to Todd Boettcher, wood flooring expert and co-owner of Flooring America, 10240 N. 90th St. in Scottsdale.

“The wood flooring category has grown tremendously in the Phoenix area over the past three years,” Boettcher said. “More and more people are using wood instead of ceramic tile.”

Boettcher said because the price of wood has come down in the last four years, consumers are more interested in using it.

“There are so many choices,” Boettcher said. “There are dozens of species of trees used for wood flooring from traditional oak looks to exotic wood hand scrapes.”

Hand scraping is a technique used to distress the wood, giving it an old, worn look.

“It really is beautiful,” Boettcher said. “It can be used in so many ways, from an informal look to a more classic feel.”

Another popular type of wood flooring is reclaimed flooring, where planks are removed from old buildings, such as churches or schools, the top veneer is removed, and a new wood floor is created.

“It is just a good way to recycle good wood flooring,” Boettcher said.

Engineered wood also is available. The wood is made from plys, similar to plywood, so it is less expensive but also is durable.

“Engineered wood is real wood, but it isn’t solid,” Boettcher said. “It is more stable than solid wood floors in that it decreases the expansion and contraction of the wood. It just provides another option for the consumer.”

Another trend in wood flooring is the use of wider planks. Rather than the traditional 2 ½- to 3-inch wide planks, people are choosing 5- to 6-inch wide boards.

“The wider planks are more expensive because less of the tree can be used,” Boettcher said. “But the wider planks create a dramatic and different look. It is a good choice for people.”

Wood flooring has not been a trend in Arizona until recently.

“People have been into ceramic and other types of tile out here for a long time,” Boettcher said. “But more and more, they are seeing how great wood can be in a room.”

Boettcher said wood flooring requires minimal care.

“If you clean it regularly and use walk-off mats to take the gravel out of your shoes, it will hold up for a long, long time,” he said. “You just have to use a spray type cleaner, misting the floor, followed with a dry mop. You can use a dust mop to go over it.”

The finishes used in wood flooring today are warranted anywhere from five to 20 years.

“The main nemesis of wood is water,” Boettcher said. “The less water that gets on the floor, the longer the floor lasts.”

Boettcher recommends professional installation with wood flooring.

“The nice thing is, you don’t have as long a wait (get back into your room) to install a wood floor,” he said. “There isn’t the same kind of drying period as you have in tile installation.”

A typical wood installation takes from one to three days. Boettcher said 500-square-feet of flooring can be installed in one day.

Pricing of wood runs anywhere from under $3 to more than $10 a square foot.

Flooring America, which has been in the Scottsdale location for 12 years, is family owned an operated. Boettcher and his parents, Ed and Valerie, opened the store in 1995.

Boettcher said they have dedicated more floor space to wood samples.

“It really is growing in popularity,” he said. “We want people to have a really good selection, so we have a large amount of wood to see.”

Flooring America is open seven days a week. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. The phone number is (480) 451-9600.

Valerie Boettcher, left, son Todd, and husband Ed, own Flooring America in Scottsdale.