Hardwood flooring comes with elegance and timelessness that can turn any house into a classy home. This functional, durable, and sustainable flooring option adds value to your house. Its versatile designs give a unique, homely warmth and character to your house. Before you go in for hardwood flooring, you need to keep certain things in mind. We have compiled a list of 4 things that you need to know.
1. Types Of Boards
Two main types of hardwood used to make flooring are solid and engineered. Though both are made of natural wood, they have their own pros and cons.
Solid Hardwood
As the name suggests, solid hardwood is made of solid wood. A single piece of wood is used to make one board of solid hardwood. Usually, a board is approximately ¾ inch thick. A subfloor of plywood or similar material is made, on which the hardwood flooring is permanently affixed. Despite its rich and unique look, it cannot be used in areas like the basement or the kitchen. Since they are made of a single wood, they tend to expand and contract depending on the humidity and temperature. Contractors need to leave space between the walls and the flooring to accommodate this expansion and contraction.
Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is made up of a number of pieces of wood bonded into layers. The top layer is made of hardwood, whereas the lower layers are mostly made of ply or other cheaper wood. Though it is not as attractive as solid hardwood, it does not expand and contract depending upon temperature and humidity. It is more functional and less expensive than solid hardwood. Engineered hardwood is also a lot easier to install.
2. Finishing
Site Finishing
The hardwood finished on the sites has a unique and aesthetically gorgeous look. Owners can get this floor customized the way they want. The people working with site-finished flooring require a high degree of skill and craftsmanship. These floors are extremely durable and easy to clean. The resins, chemicals, and solvents used in site finishing take time to dry, and you cannot place any furniture on it during this time.
Factory Finishing
Factory finished flooring is cheaper than the site finished one. Since no chemicals are involved in their finishing, they are easier and less expensive to install. The floor is ready to use almost at once. The factory finished boards have grooves at the sides, which give rise to gaps once installed. So if you are looking for smooth finished flooring, don’t go in for factory finishing.
Hardwood Floor Maintenance
Maintenance of a hardwood floor is not a very difficult job. The first and foremost thing to keep in mind is never to wear shoes on it. When it comes to cleaning your floors, you can use a hardwood cleaning attachment while vacuuming or sweeping. A damp mop can be used while mopping. Of course, depending on the type of finishing, you’ll also want to use specialized hardwood cleaning products to enhance the shine and protect the wood.
3. Types of Wood
There are a variety of wood species to choose from when it comes to finding the best kind of hardwood floor to suit your taste. Some of the choices available are Cherry, Oak, Walnut, Bamboo, Ash, Maple, Teak, Mahogany, and Jarrah. Whatever wood you choose, there is going to be a difference in the showroom samples and your brand new flooring. The showroom samples have been there for some time and have therefore aged considerably, whereas your new flooring is just that- new. Obviously, there is going to be a difference in the appearance of the two. You need to keep in mind that no two boards can be alike and that adds to its unique character.
4. Natural Variance
Since hardwood is an organic material, no two boards can be the same. There are variations depending on the grade of flooring you have chosen. The higher the grade you choose, the more uniform your flooring is likely to be. The natural variations in the shading, mineral streaks, and grain patterns only add to the warm and desirable characteristics of the wood. Even if you buy wood similar to what you have seen somewhere, it is not going to look the same when you get it installed. The two kinds of wood cannot be completely identical neither can they be installed under the same circumstances. This will result in variations in their appearance.
Installing hardwood flooring may seem to be a scary and daunting venture, but it is not so. A little bit of research will definitely help. If you also keep in mind the points that we have compiled for you, you can never go wrong with your hardwood flooring. So go ahead and give your house a new warm homely feeling.