Whether for home or business installation, hardwood floor has been an undeniable all-time favorite of owners for years due to its numerous benefits. Since hardwood floor serves as the foundation for any interior design, it is just right to carefully sift through the wide range of selections made available in the marketplace for interested buyers. Oftentimes, when people are confronted with a lot of alternatives, some either feel excited or overwhelmed. To help you discern the numerous choices accessible to buyers, here are guides to keep you on track while choosing the right hardwood floor for your interior. Moreover, these will help you narrow down your choices until you finally feel confident with the right hardwood floor that suits your needs.
Compare Hardwood Flooring Types
Choose between solid or engineered hardwood floors. Take note of the pros and cons of each flooring type. Solid hardwood floor is wear-resistant, long-lasting and can be sanded down to bare wood for multiple times. Its drawbacks are the need to be acclimated to moisture levels before the installation and high susceptibility to moisture content changes, causing shrinkage and expansion. Since engineered hardwood floor has multiple layers of natural wood, these increase the stability of the floorboards, reducing the possibility for movement and gapping. Also, some are made easier for installation. However, it can also be refinished once or twice depending on the thickness of the wear-layer. Evaluate your lifestyle, location and budget to help you come up with a decision.
Know the Difference of Wood Species
Be informed that each wood species has its distinct character that exude rustic, modern or elegant design. Consider the way floors wear over time, stability, hardness, color fastness and maintenance care. Since not all hardwood species are alike, it is best to understand the facts for each wood species that captures your interest.
Decide the Best Grade, Texture, Stain and Finishing
Once youve chosen the right wood species, the next things in line are choosing the right grade, texture, stain and finishes. Wood floors are divided to several grades that reflect the aesthetics of the wood, such as tone variation, knots, mineral streaks, etc. Grades range from clear, select, 1 Common grade to 2 Common grade.
Texture options can create a variety of look for a certain wood species. Choose among trendy wooden textures nowadays such as hand-scraped, brushed, or footworn.
Various stains are offered in the market, readily available for DIY quick touch ups or staining the whole wood floors after sanding. Custom stain colors can be created by mixing up different colors from the same manufacturer.
Choose whether to purchase prefinished or unfinished wood floors. Nowadays, many people prefer prefinished wood floors due to its convenience. Avoid the hassle of finishing floorboards in your place. Reap the benefits of factory finished wood floors, such as durability, easier installation, ease of maintenance and refinishable.
Wood Floor Patterns
There are new angles for installing wooden floors without the mundane straight line. Talk with a professional wood floor installer for custom patterns (e.g. Herringbone and Chevron).
In choosing the right wood floor, set your budget and work on it. Never fall for too good to be true deals. Its most likely to just lure you, but with poor quality. Consider your lifestyle as well as interior elements. Make use of the expertise of wood floor companies in coming up with wood floors of your choice. Remember that technical concerns that you arent aware of can impair the quality and performance of your newly installed floors.