By Othon Jarle
Since hardwood floors are available in different options, you may struggle with deciding the best option for your house. But you shouldn’t get worked up over this. In this post, we will describe 5 important things you must know when choosing hardwood floors.
1. Types of wood
Hardwood floors are made of various types of wood. Maple, ash, oak, hickory, and cherry are the most common wood types you can get in Canada, the US, and many other countries. Each of these types has its pros and cons.
For instance, oak is durable, affordable, beautiful, and capable of withstanding stains. Maple floors are long-lasting and suitable for modern homes with lots of natural light. So, think about these factors before selecting any wood type.
2. Product composition
In terms of composition, hardwood flooring is of two types – sold flooring or engineered flooring. Solid floors come with thick planks that have solid timber. They are traditional flooring options with exceptional durability.
Engineered floors, on the other hand, come with a thin layer of wood at the topmost part with lots of thinner plywood pieces below. Unlike solid floors, engineered floors don’t move or shift. This hardwood flooring option is recommended for rooms with various concrete subfloors.
3. Finish types
There are various types of hardwood finishes. Primarily, you can either choose either purchased prefinished or home finish. Prefinished floors have been coated and stained already. So, you just need to install it directly. Home finish floors don’t come with any stain and coat; therefore, you will need to finish them at the site.
Furthermore, finished products can either be polyurethane or oil. Polyurethane is often used for making a strong and durable hard coating on the wood. Otherwise, oil finished products have natural look, but they are prone to stains and scratches.
You just need to consider the finish option you like before selecting one.
4. Installation techniques
Since various installation techniques are available, your installer can experiment with the options to find the best option based on its patterns, widths, and lengths. The floors can be customized to fit the specific design of your home.
Thin strips or wide plank sizes can be used for the installation. You can also use various edging options such as bevelled or square edge techniques.
Overall, your hardwood flooring installer will assist you to decide the most suitable technique for installing your floors.
5. Maintenance and cleaning routine
The durability and lifespan of your hardwood floors depend on the maintenance and cleaning routine. Luckily, hardwood flooring does not require a time-consuming or stressful cleaning routine. You only have to sweep and vacuum up the floors from time to time. Avoid using any harsh chemicals that can cause permanent damage to your floors.
Also, if there is any spill, you must clean it up immediately to prevent water damage. If you have kids and pets, your floors will be prone to dents and scratches. Consider refinishing the floors to get rid of dents and scratches.
Having explained these 5 things, we hope you can now select the hardwood flooring that suits your specific taste and need. However, you can get more assistance from your hardwood floor expert.
