Wood Flooring

Wood floors aren’t just for gyms and dance floors, they also are for your home. Hardwood floors last longer than softwood floors, and hard wood flooring is versatile and durable. Cleaning your wood floors reduces the frequency of refinishing them. Look into installing wood floors for your home.

Wood is not just for burning in your stove. Using wood as flooring throughout your home can add warmth and value too.


Wood is divided into two categories softwood and hardwood. Hardwood is better suited to flooring, but softwood such as pine, can be used satisfactorily. Hardwood tends to come from deciduous tress such as oak, maple, cherry, and mahogany, while softwood comes from evergreens, such as pines and spruces, and fast growing trees, like poplar.

    In flooring hardwood is used and can be an excellent choice for numerous reasons:
  • Adds warmth and value to your home
  • Easy maintenance
  • Eases allergy suffering
  • Finish options
    There are however some disadvantages to wood flooring:
  • Water can damage your floor and cause warping
  • It can get scratched
  • High installation cost

Wood floors can be solid, laminated, or engineered wood and can be purchased in both unfinished and pre-finished states. There are also different installation methods that can are used. Nailing or stapling is commonly used for installing solid wood and engineered flooring. Gluing is used for both engineered and laminated flooring, gluing the edges so the planks effectively form one large surface. Another installation option is known as floating, where the flooring in installed so that it moves independently above the sub-floor; floating floors can be glued or clicked together, and sometimes float over a pad placed on the sub-floor. Floating floors can be installed over sub-floors made of concrete, plywood or OSB (oriented strand board), vinyl, linoleum or tiles.
When choosing your wood floor, you can choose from prefinished or unfinished flooring. Prefinished wood floors have been finished using a water- or oil-based finish and are fully functioning once installed. Unfinished floors not only take longer to install, because they have to be sanded and coated after being laid, but also is messier because of dust and odors when being sanded and finished.
The hardness of wood is determined using the Janka hardness test. Brazilian fir wood (0060) is the softest wood and Brazilian Ebony (3692) is one of the hardest. In flooring, hardwood is better than softwood since it can so easily be damaged.
Wood flooring has been used throughout history and continues to be the case today. But the early 1970s did see a decline in the use of wood floors, with carpet becoming very popular. Since the 1980s, wood floors have made a steady come back and today are among the most popular choices in flooring.
Wood floors can be expensive and without the correct care and maintenance can become dull and unattractive. Solid wood flooring that is mistreated may need frequent refinishing. Spills and standing water can warp and crack the wood and its finishes.
Choosing your wood flooring is the first step. Grain, texture, and color should be considered as part of making your choice. Another important decision that you will have to make is on the finish, choosing a pre-finished floor will save time and a lot of cleaning. Unfinished floors however, have the advantage of being getting a smooth surface during the sanding phase of the finish. Wood floors can be installed in any room, but extra care must be taken in wet rooms, such as bathrooms and laundries. Dust and allergens sink into carpet, but with wood floors they remain on the surface so can easily be removed helping to promote a healtyh home.
In order to get the best value from your wooden floors proper care, installation and maintenance are required. A dry or damp mop, rather than a wet mop, can be used to clean wood floors. Vacuuming should be a regular occurrence to get the grit that scratches the surface. Using furniture glides will help prevent scratches, as will the strategic placement of rugs around the house. And if your wood floor does get scratched there tips abound on hiding scratches and scrapes.
Wood floors can get stained too. Bleach and other harsh detergents should be avoided because they damage the finish and the wood itself. Consult your manufacturer’s guidelines for the best care. If your wood floors are properly cared for and maintained they will last a lifetime. And also check out these tips for removing stains from wood floors.
Another bonus is that wood floors are versatile and can add warmth to any room. Solid flooring can be refinished and changed more readily than tile or carpet, which often have to be removed in order to change the appearance of a room. Once sanded, solid wood floors can be resealed or stained and sealed. Wood floors can also be painted with patterns, like rugs or game boards, to add a fresh look to a tired-looking floor. Prior to painting wood floors, the old finish needs to be removed. And be sure to “varnish” the paint with several coats so that it wears well.
So you see, a wood floor really is an investment in your home. When you tire of the look, you don’t need to rip it up, all you have to do is refinish your it, And don’t forget, wood floors also your home’s value. Don’t you think its time you started look at wood as more than just fuel for your stove?

13 thoughts on “Wood Flooring”

  1. Hello, HOW DO YOU DECIDE ???
    My question is, How do I decide which direction the wood flooring (planks) are to by placed ? I would like to put the hard wood (engineered) floor from my front entrance running into the family room. Foyer is basically a square, the family room, slightly off to the right side as you enter the house is slightly longer side to side than it is front to back (there is a powder room adjacent to the family room w/ the door facing the front of the house. The man who came to measure said to run the planks left/right running the length of the house. Looking as is they were going across the foyer floor. There is a six foot sliding glass door at the rear wall of the family room opening to the back yard. The door to our garage opens into the family room from the right side wall (as looking from the foyer into the family room ) and there is a fireplace on that right side wall also.I would like to get a flat panel TV wall mounted which would be directly opposite the fireplace. Our couch has always faced out towards the backyard. I’d like to thank you for this wonderful web site I have learned an amazing amount of info. I also just discovered the staining on engineered wood floors do not “stain” or look the same on the solid wood /same wood species same manufacture. The cashmere or dull finish even though I’m told it will hide the scratches, also has a different hue than the semigloss ,almost a grey haze when the glare in the house hits it.. The companies do not offer all finishes on various plank sizes either.(that is driving me nuts).I can also advise to take as many samples home because the lighting in the stores are not the same as your home. Please answer asap, thank you ,thank you thank you !!! I must order tomorrow. GREATFULY YOURS, JANE

    Reply
  2. Jane,
    The way to decide how wood flooring planks should be installed is to know which way your floor joists run; your planks will run perpendicularly to them. I suppose you could run them at an angle across the joists, but without beefing up your subfloor you want to avoid having the planks run parallel to your floor joists.
    Glad you like the site and are learning lots. I have learned a lot myself and love sharing with others.

    Reply
  3. Sorry, I forgot to mention we are Gluing…. What type of glue do you advise ,I’d like to make sure the installers use a very good type ( over slab)—J

    Reply
  4. I am going to have a prefinished ash solid hardwood floor installed in my kitchen. Because the edge of each board has a very very slight bevel, I am concerned about dirt (cooking grease, frosting, sugary spilled drinks, milk, eggs, etc.) getting established in these spaces. I am also concerned with general cleaning of the floor. Currently the old vinyl floor is washed once a week. How can I keep a hardwood kitchen floor clean? Are there any products which are particularly good to clean a kitchen floor? I know it is important to wipe up water (etc.) as soon as possible.
    MG, New York

    Reply
  5. The best thing to do (always!) is to call the manufacturer and find out what they recommend. You might also ask about something (like a wax or polish) to apply over the floor – to kinda help fill in those bevels a little to help it to be easier to clean – eliminate the depth that dirt can get to. Yes, you’re not supposed to have to do this, but I can understand your concerns since this will be installed in the kitchen.

    Reply
  6. We are building a new home and love the look of the very dark, almost black, hard wood floors. I have been told that many of these floors are Walnut, but that they are very soft. I also read about Wenge, Ebony and Brazilan Walnut, which are harder but much more expensive and rare. Do you have any experience with any of these woods?

    Reply
  7. Anneliese,
    In flooring, hardwood is better than softwood since it can so easily be damaged.
    Wenge, Brazilian Walnut are very hard woods. They do need a a professional who is familiar with the woods in order to attain proper installation.
    Wenge does have a color change from a lighter yellow-brown to a very dark brown that is often confused for black until closer inspection.
    Brazilian Walnut has one of the highest rankings for hardwood and is resistant to moisture and pests. While it does show color variation, which will conform into a more uniform appearance. As time passes and exposure to sunlight will darken the wood to a medium or dark brown color.
    Your budget and lifestyle will determine which would you like to purchase and install.

    Reply
  8. I have a hardwood floor that is old. One part of it is unfinished the other finished. What do I use to clean it. Murphy’s oil says only finished.
    Thanks

    Reply
  9. Connie,
    I would be sure to use an appropriate wood floor cleaner for the two different areas, Cleaning Hardwood Flooring offers some helpful suggestions.
    I also recommend StainSolver for variety of cleaning jobs.

    Reply
  10. Dear sir,
    This is Sally from Zhejiang Fuerjia Wooden Co., Ltd.We are a professional manufacturer of Engineered flooring and exotic Solid in China.with over 10 years of experience in the flooring industry, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and competitive prices.
    In order to give you a general idea of our products, please examine below listed we are currently running items and advise me if your company is interested in distributing our products and then I will work with you closely.
    1. Multi-layer Oak Engineered: (Grade:AB ABC CD)
    189mm x 4/15mm x 1860mm
    189mm x 6/21mm x 1860mm
    220mm x 6/21mm x 2200mm
    2.Multi-layer Walnut Engineered: (Grade:AB)
    125mm x 2/12mm x R/L
    189mm x 6/21mm x 1860mm
    3.Multi-layer Acacia Engineered: (Grade:AB)
    125mm x 2/12mm x R/L
    4.Multi-layer Taun Engineered: (Grade:AB)
    122mm x 2/12mm x R/L
    5.Solid Oak: (Grade: ABC)
    57.15mm x 18mmxRL
    82.55mm x 18mmxRL
    125mm x 18mm x RL
    6.Solid Taun: (Grade: AB)
    92mm x 18mm x R/L
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    7.Solid Tali: (Grade: AB)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    8, Solid Okan: (Grade: AB)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    9, Solid Acacia: (Grade:AB)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    10, Solid Africa Mahogany: (Grade:ABC)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    Please don’t hesitated to let me know your any further requirements and hearing from you early reply.
    Yours faithful,
    Sally Huang
    Sales Manager
    Zhejiang FUERJIA Wooden Co., Ltd
    VANDYCK (HK) Wooden Co., Ltd
    Add: Tangnan Village, Jiuguan Town, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
    Tel: 0086 572 3517107
    Fax: 0086 572 3511111
    Mobile: 152 5722 7763
    Email: [email protected]
    MSN:[email protected]
    http://www.cfwooden.com

    Reply
  11. Dear sir,
    This is Sally from Zhejiang Fuerjia Wooden Co., Ltd.We are a professional manufacturer of Engineered flooring and exotic Solid in China.with over 10 years of experience in the flooring industry, we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and competitive prices.
    In order to give you a general idea of our products, please examine below listed we are currently running items and advise me if your company is interested in distributing our products and then I will work with you closely.
    1. Multi-layer Oak Engineered: (Grade:AB ABC CD)
    189mm x 4/15mm x 1860mm
    189mm x 6/21mm x 1860mm
    220mm x 6/21mm x 2200mm
    2.Multi-layer Walnut Engineered: (Grade:ABCD)
    125mm x 2/12mm x R/L
    189mm x 6/21mm x 1860mm
    3.Multi-layer Acacia Engineered: (Grade:AB)
    125mm x 2/12mm x R/L
    4.Multi-layer Taun Engineered: (Grade:AB)
    122mm x 2/12mm x R/L
    5.Solid Oak: (Grade: ABC)
    57.15mm x 18mmxRL
    82.55mm x 18mmxRL
    125mm x 18mm x RL
    6.Solid Taun: (Grade: AB)
    92mm x 18mm x R/L
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    7.Solid Tali: (Grade: AB)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    8, Solid Okan: (Grade: AB)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    9, Solid Acacia: (Grade:AB)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    10, Solid Africa Mahogany: (Grade:ABC)
    122mm x 18mm x R/L
    Please don’t hesitated to let me know your any further requirements and hearing from you early reply.
    Yours faithful,
    Sally Huang
    Sales Manager
    Zhejiang FUERJIA Wooden Co., Ltd
    VANDYCK (HK) Wooden Co., Ltd
    Add: Tangnan Village, Jiuguan Town, Huzhou, Zhejiang, China
    Tel: 0086 572 3517107
    Fax: 0086 572 3511111
    Mobile: 152 5722 7763
    Email: [email protected]
    MSN:[email protected]
    http://www.cfwooden.com

    Reply

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