Prior to 1965, if a new home was to qualify for an FHA mortgage, solid hardwood flooring was required in the structure. Slab construction typically utilized resilient inlaid flooring materials. As we all know, the federal mandates requiring solid wood floors were eliminated. As a result, "Carpet was King" for a long period of time.
Without question, the three vital components of wood flooring's resurgence in the marketplace were the introduction of new colors/stains, urethane finishes and last, but not least, engineered hardwood floors. The manufacturing developments that led to engineered wood floor innovations became the beacon that guided our industry away from the complacency of solid hardwood floors.