Use Hardwood Flooring

Archive for the ‘Selecting’ Category

There are so many different colors, and styles to choose from that it may be difficult deciding what hardwood flooring is right for you. To help you narrow your choices, you want to select a flooring style, which complements the overall interior design of your home. If you’re interior decor is rustic-county, then you may not want to install bamboo flooring as your new flooring may clash with your decor.

Your next step in narrowing down your choices is to look at how the flooring will be installed and the amount of expected floor traffic. The amount of traffic you expect your floors to endure will greatly influence the type of flooring you can choose. Laminates and woods that have high hardness rankings provide a high amount of durability. However, softer woods do not make a good selection for high traffic areas.

Sub-flooring:

Good quality subfloors are vital to ensure that your new hardwood flooring wears well and last. Subfloors must be dry, stable, and level. Concrete slab subfloors are usually only acceptable for laminate, and a few engineered floors. However, there are several quality underlayments, which provide an appropriate moisture and sound barrier, making them perfect for some hardwood floor installations.

Having a dry subfloor or an appropriate moisture barrier will help prevent warping and cupping of your hardwood floors. In addition, you have to endure that there is adequate ventilation and that the temperatures are kept regulated thought the year. To much of a change in temperature will cause hardwood floors to swell and contract. For room and homes that have high humidity levels, laminate floors do better than solid hardwood floors.

Installation:

When selecting your hardwood flooring, you also have to take into consideration whether or not you will be installing the floors yourself or if you will be hiring some one to install them for you. Glueless snap together-style floating floor systems can be a weekend project depending on the amount of square footage you are installing and your experience as a do-it-yourselfers.

Warranty:

Lastly, when selecting your hardwood flooring, it is strongly suggested that you choose flooring that has a warranty. When manufactures make claims under a warranty, that they are willing to back up, it often demonstrate the product is reliable. Installers, who provide warranties, are stating that they have installed your flooring according to the manufactures recommendations, so that their installation did not void the manufacturers warranty in any way.

You have made up your mind and you are going to install it in your home. However, before you start shopping for your hardwood flooring, the flowing are some tips you should in mind when choosing hardwood flooring.

1. Set a budget, and stick to it. Spending too much can quickly make your beautiful hardwood floors unattractive. Therefore, balance your style and flooring quality with your budget.

2. Match the room with the type of hardwood you want. In other words, if you want to install hardwood flooring in a bathroom or kitchen make sure that it is designed for areas that have high levels of moisture.

3. Make sure the finish of the wood matches the finish of the room, as different rooms demand different finishes. Generally, extremely dark finishes do not do well in kitchens and heavy traffic areas, as they tend to show all types of dirt.

4. Before you decide to do it yourself, make sure you aren’t tackling a project that is too big for you. If you have never installed flooring, consider having a professional installer do it for you. It is true that countless homeowners have successfully installed their own flooring. However, the majority of these individuals are: (1) skilled in handiwork, (2) they have done their homework. If you are a very busy person or only have a few days to commit to the job, then it may be easier to hire a professional. However, make sure that you research this individual carefully and that you have check his/her references carefully to ensure that your floors are installed correctly.

5. Before you make your final decision, see about taking a few planks home with you to see how it will look in your home. Wood, like paint will look different under the stores lighting than it will under your lighting. Many reputable flooring retailers have samples that you can purchase, and some will even loan them to you for a short period of time.

When you choose a hardwood that fits your lifestyle, taste, and budget, chances are youve chosen a hardwood that you will enjoy for countless years to come.

This is a great choice for those who prefer the look and feel of hardwood. Wood floors are known for their beauty and their amazing ability to complement any home decor. They are sturdy and durable and when cared for properly, virtually maintenance free. Choosing an antique floor provides all of the benefits of hardwood flooring while being environmentally friendly.

Sometimes known as reclaimed floors, an antique floor is made from wood that has been salvaged from structures that existed several centuries ago. Due to the fact that the wood used from this time period was sturdier and exposed to less chemicals, many find that it is much more stronger than new floors. Antique wood comes from a time when trees were only harvested after they had become fully mature. This ensures that the wood is tough as well as durable.

It has many characteristics. Adding to the charm and appeal of the floor. One of the best aspects is that wood is a renewable source. You don’t need to worry that you are using a product that is harmful to the environment. When you select these types of floor you are reusing the wood that could have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

You might also see it referred to as old growth. This refers to the fact that the trees, which were harvested centuries ago, did not need to undergo regular pruning methods that are utilized in modern methods. These trees were not damaged by methods that cut into their delicate and fragile structures as they were growing. They were allowed to grow to extreme heights before being cut down.

Another advantage to using this type of flooring is that all of the materials were salvaged. This means that none of the wood was taken from structures for the purpose of being created into other items. All of the wood was salvaged or taken from buildings and other units that were already in a condition of despair.

Solid wood flooring and laminate flooring each have their benefits as well as their disadvantages. Solid wood flooring is beautiful, and provides a timeless look of elegance to any room. However, solid hardwood flooring is expensive and very susceptible to moisture as well as changes in temperatures. Laminate flooring, is less expensive, more resistant to moisture, perfect for active families with children and pets, however, this type of flooring cannot be refinished.

Solid hardwood flooring is as its name implies it is solid wood, which is usually boards or strips. Solid hardwood flooring can be of any one of the numerous species of woods including Oak, Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Walnut, Ash, Beech, Birch, Pine, to name a few. Solid hardwood flooring is available as either pre-finished or unfinished and has the added advantage of being able to be sanded and refinished multiple times, thus being able to last for countless decades.

It however, is vulnerable to high humidity and moisture and therefore is not recommend for installation on or below grade levels, nor is it recommended for installation over concrete slabs. This is because of the fact that solid wood floors will expand as it absorbs moisture and contract or cup as it dries. When wood cups it causes the edges of the wood to curve upward, thus posing a tripping hazard as well as damaging the wood.

In addition, solid hardwood flooring can become scratched and dented by high heel shoes, pet claws, feet of furniture. How well the solid hard wood resists scratches and dents depends on the woods hardness as well as the finish you have on the flooring. Solid hardwood flooring is often more expensive than laminate flooring, but does have a tendency to increase the value of a home, thus making it well worth the investment.

Usually laminate floors are a photographic image of wood, stone, ceramic tile, etc. that has been laminated on top of high density fiberboard, which has then been sandwiched between two layers of plastic. Because of this durable plastic coating, laminate floors are extremely durable and can withstand high traffic areas as well as active families. However, once scuffed, marred, or scratched these floorings cannot be refinished. The biggest benefit of laminate flooring is that it is easily cleaned with a damp mop, however just like solid hardwood flooring, excessive moisture such as that which occurs when wet mopping can damage the laminate flooring when water seeps in between the edges of the boards. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to never wet mop laminate flooring.

Other benefits is that it is nearly impervious to stains, dents, and will not fade when exposed to direct lighting, unlike solid hardwood flooring that will fade. Typically, laminate floorings have a 10-year or more warranty.

It are available in several thicknesses of protective coating, which range from 6mm to 12mm, and as one would expect, the thicker the flooring the more durable and long lasting and the more it will resemble a solid wood flooring.

When considering installation, solid floors are more difficult to install than many of the snap-together laminate floorings that are on the market today. However, any individual who is very handy and has taken the time to do their research can install either solid or laminate.

When deciding between solid flooring and laminate, one has to take in to consideration the years you plan on spending in your home, and whether or not you have children and pets, and the amount of traffic your will have. If you plan on living in your home for any extended period, then you may want to consider solid hardwood flooring. However, if you have a very active household and do have pets, then laminate flooring may be your best choice.