Generally hardwood floors come pre finished, this is when the manufacturer applies a finish at the factory. This finish is generally at least four coats of ultraviolet cured urethane resin. Hardwood floors are generally easy to clean with a simple sweep of a dust mop or vacuuming. You will need to protect your hardwood floors from scratches as much as possible. Putting protective rugs under your furniture is an excellent way to prevent scratches on the floor. Hardwood floors are meant to last a lifetime.
You will want to choose a color of hardwood floor that will accent your home and home furnishings. As a rule lighter colors go with country, contemporary and casual settings. Darker colored wood floors are for formal or traditional interiors. But, of course, anything goes! Your decision should be based on your visual preference.
Lighter wood would be a white ash, sugar maple or southern yellow pine. Darker colors are beech, birch, red oak, heart pine and mesquite.
You want to make sure that your hardwood floor will be able to withstand denting and wear. Of the woods mentioned above mesquite is the hardest wood, and a southern yellow pine would be the softest. In the middle of these fall the yellow birch, heart pine and beech.
If you are going to be hiring and contractor to install your hardwood floor make sure you ask for references. Go take a look at a floor that he has installed. Make sure that he is comfortable working with the type of word floor that you want installed.
Make sure that you thoroughly inspect the hardwood floor after the installation. Look at the floor from a standing position and with normal lighting. The finish on your floor will not be that you would find on fine furniture. Deep swirls or sander marks or splotchy areas may mean that the floor wasn't finished properly. There will however be some irregularities on any wood floor. However, these irregularities won't seem obvious and will only add to the character of the floor.
Install A Hardwood Floor
There are many reasons that make the natural hardwood floor the ideal choice for your flooring needs. Today, the hardwood floors are available in an extensive array of colors and species. All you need to do is to take care of the same in a proper manner, and your hardwood floor will last for long. There are three types of hardwood floors widely available in the market
Solid Wood Floors
They are available in both pre-finished and unfinished forms. Solid wood is an ideal option for above grade installations. You should also note that they react to changes in humidity. Therefore, make sure that there are enough expansion allowances for them along the vertical walls. You can install it on a wood type sub floor. The procedure involves nailing down the floor.
Long Strip Engineered Wood Floors
They are mostly available in pre-finished forms. These wood floors use three plys of wood that are laminated together. They usually come in planks of eight inches wide and eight feet long. Glue-less version is also available where you do not need any glue or nails in the installation. If you want to do the installation yourself, long strip engineered wood floors make an ideal choice for you. You can also install these floors on concrete slabs.
Engineered Wood Floors
They are usually available in a pre-finished version, but you can also find unfinished version. Like the long strip engineered wood floors, these wood floors also use several plys of wood that are laminated together. Planks are available in various widths that may range from two inches to about seven inches. Different types of engineered wood floors require different treatment in installation. It could be glue, float, staple, or nailing-down or all of them. The good thing is that they do not react very much to the changes in humidity. They are dimensionally more stable.
Benefits Of Hardwood Floors
The hardwood floors offer an array of benefits. Following are some of the top ones.
They are a non-allergenic and natural flooring material
It has the capability to add warmth and charm to any room. They are simply classical.
It literally adds to the value of your home.
Whether you are planning to create pattern design or unique looks, you can easily find the wood accent to accommodate the need.
Wood trims and moldings are also available in a wide range of options.
They make an ideal choice for your dining rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, etc.
Word Of Caution
Proper care of the hardwood floor is very important if you want them to last long with a quality finishing.
Make sure that they are never exposed to water. It will not only dull their finishing, but it will also irrecoverably damage the floor.
Likewise, make sure that your hardwood floor is not exposed to sunlight as well. Direct sunlight on the same will result in color fading.
Overall, if you want to benefit from the tremendous features of hardwood floors, make sure that you take great care in its upkeep and maintenance. After all, quality comes at a price.
Both Ryan Larson & Bill Brennan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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