The basics of hardwood flooring shouldn’t come as a surprise to those know anything if at all about purchasing hardwood flooring. There are some basics you should know off the top of your head though when you walk into a home improvement shop that deals only of the hardwood floor department.
Hardwood floors do add some texture and beauty to your home; this can increase your home’s value. There are solid hardwood floor planks, engineered hardwood flooring and locking engineered hardwood construction flooring.
- Solid hardwood floor planks are simply solid, not engineered or prefabricated, they are simply “solid” and stronger, heavier and more durable wooden floor planks or tiles.
- Engineered hardwood flooring can last for years. Wood planks or tiles last from 20-30 years, come in widths of 3-7 inches wide with thicknesses from 3/8″-3/4″. They come in domestic or exotic hardwood species. The popular hand-scraped style is trending in home improvement sites; typically for modern or art deco home interiors.
Click-Lock Engineered Wood Flooring
A click-lock engineered wood flooring, the most innovative and new type of do-it-yourself flooring technology, is popular today because of it’s easy and quick installation. The top flooring manufacturers in the industry sell them today. You can get some exotic hardwood floors like Brazilian Cherry or bamboo wooden flooring which are popular more than ever. Although, you can find almost any type of wood species when it comes to the “click lock system,” it’s more of a preference than a convenience for any home builder or owner. The Click Lock Flooring has an “underlayment foam pad” that is easily installed over almost any surface floor or subfloors. That includes concrete with no staples or nails needed; nor any messy adhesive or any type of floating floor installation because it’s easy and quick to install.
- On the job-site finish naturally, is finished on site. Where the flooring is installed, the best part is choosing what type of finish should be applied to your floor. For a unique customizing of your floor, this one will do the trick since you say the final say for appearance. You should expect lots of dust when you are in this mode; since the finishing will require some sanding down, there will be just that.
Knowing these four would help you to know a little about hardwood flooring.
Variety: wood species and finishes
With nature’s various wood species, choosing your prestigious hardwood planks with some consideration to what and who will be walking on those floors can help you decide.
Are you planning on having this flooring spread across your living room or your private office? Plus, they are available in various sizes and widths which make it ideal for any room in your home or office.
The Benefits of Pre-finished Hardwood Flooring
- A work of natural art is basically the sense you get when you walk on pre-finished hardwood flooring.
- It’s a class of its own when you select hardwood floors that are pre-finished. This collectively illustrates the natural beauty in any room that has it in a house or commercial office.
- The value of a home with pre-finished hardwood floors makes it an asset. The quality it brings to a room adds more than the value it brings, it adds authenticity.
- Every floor is different because every species of wood does have a unique characteristic to it. What the conditions of the pre-finished wood have is it’s matured state. This makes the wood unique looking.
- They are screened after being sanded and stained in professional manufacturing plants that use highly efficient resources without harming any of its natural beauty.
- There is urethane sprayed on in coats which give the boards a UV dried finish making them look and stay durable.
- The coats make them look finished with a natural look while also bringing out the natural luster; the sanding down of them and the recoating of the boards simply adds to the natural perfections.
- There is a natural for the floor to expand or contract. This is the natural state of the wood which results in such elements during dry or moist climates. The shrinkage of the wood can be dealt with by purchasing a humidifier for your home. If your entire home has wood flooring, then getting a “whole house humidifier” will suffice.
Cost for hardwood flooring
The “cost per square foot” of your hardwood floor is just one factor of the entire project cost. To ensure there are no surprises, and the hardwood you select fits within your overall project budget, be sure to think it through. This means to calculate the total cost of your hardwood floor project.
In fact. additional expenses for labor, such as moving furniture in and out of your home, can incur the cost of a professional flooring company’s bid or quote. Remember, also the demolition and the replacement of flooring can also be added to the cost of repairing or installation. This means subfloor’s preparation work is another cost.
You will need to know this since most of these costs are added to the overall cost. Ask whomever you plan to have your hardwood floor installed or replaced before you sign away any agreement or contract.
When you request a bid from a flooring contractor, always be prepared for charges such as labor, materials, cost, furniture removal/replacing, subfloor prep work…etc. This will help in any incurring surprises that may be questionable after accepting a bid.
Finally, knowing the different flooring options that you can get for your home improvement projects such as your flooring will help you not overspend on needless materials and products. If you are a do-it-yourself type, then it’s really knowing how to install it the right way. Nevertheless, it’s best to leave it to a professional floor specialist who has past experience and knowledge to get the job done right the first time.
Source: Hardwood Flooring in Downriver Michigan