For decades to come, a hardwood floor can provide warmth and charm to any room in your home. With the guidance of a hardwood buying guide, you can make better interior design decisions that will increase the home’s value over time.
There are factors to consider when determining whether or not to install hardwood, including the wood species appropriate for your area and the increase in traffic it will be subjected to. Our hardwood guide best summarizes all of the information necessary to make an informed decision about your floor.
What You Need to Know Before Purchasing Hardwood
Hardwood flooring should only be installed in high-traffic areas if appropriate for your site and can bear the volume of foot activity expected. Our hardwood guide best summarizes all of the information necessary to make an informed decision about your floor.
It’s Hard to Pick One
There are many hardwood options available today, within each set of benefits and drawbacks. You may have already decided on a colour palette that suits your style. You should also keep in mind the following points:
When we think of wood flooring, we tend to think of pieces of genuine wood that have been glued together. Solid wood floors come in various species, grades, thicknesses, and finishes.
Wood Flooring, 34 Thickness, Solid Wood
While this style of hardwood flooring is the most classic and most lasting, it is not usually the most practical. Thick natural wood flooring can last for centuries. Some wood flooring has been around for over a century. In addition to re-milling and re-using century-old woods from existing installations to create new wood floors. The answer is a resounding “yes.” You may sand and refinish wood floors numerous times throughout your life. Wood will change colour over time, but this is usually better, adding depth and character.
Also apparent are the drawbacks of a solid wood floor. The most susceptible to warping and buckling are thick, solid timbers, which are more vulnerable to dampness in a rainy area or installed incorrectly. A solid wood subfloor is required when installing a wide natural wood floor over concrete. Unless wood you choose is impervious to moisture, such woods typically used for shipbuilding and those native to subtropical climates, dense solid woods are not suggested for subtropical, humid regions.
A thickness of 5/16, 3/8, or 1/2 inches of solid wood flooring
In terms of versatility, thin wood flooring is better than thicker boards, but it will not wear or feel the same. Installing it in a more humid area is easier because it is less susceptible to water damage. For the time being, it is still not proposed to put the flooring directly on concrete, under grade (ground floor or sea level), or in places where it is likely to become saturated with water, such as bathrooms.
Woods that have undergone some form of engineering
Engineered woods are much more stable because of their construction, including a hardwood wear layer on top of a layered core akin to plywood. They can be utilised below grade, straight over concrete, but more sturdy than solid wood in any humidity. To ensure a longer service life, a strong factory finish is applied. To further enhance the value of engineered lumber, you can paint or stain them to mimic more rare (and more expensive) timbers.
Wood Sorting and Grading
Not all hardwoods and producers use the same grading system. For example, Maple is a wood that doesn’t fall under this category. Other names may also be used by wood makers that do not adhere to the standards set out by the American Woodworkers Union.
