Wood Flooring Installations

There’s no forgetting your first hardwood floor. You visit a friend or family members home and see the enhanced warmth of rooms, the rich, natural texture running the length of the floor, and you instantly file the image. You begin to imagine your own hardwood floor, how it’ll add value to your home, and bring a sense of exquisite character into each and every room. Pushing past intrinsic beauty for a moment, let’s take a peek into the future, when your hardwood floor has been fitted, and discover how to maintain that natural beauty for a lifetime. Protect you investment by being informed of hardwood flooring, following manufacturer instructions and a little common sense advice. Here’s our top tips for caring for your flooring.

1. I Want to Install Hardwood Flooring Myself. Can I? Take time and be realistic about your skill level. Have you built or repaired household items with a heavy tools? Are you comfortable working with large sections of wood? If you have any doubt whatsoever, consult a professional craftsman, a flooring installer, and leave your skills for tasks where you feel more comfortable.
2. Defining an Engineered Hardwood Floor. Man does what he always has, giving nature a hand whenever possible. This type of flooring marries different kinds of genuine hardwood together to create a superior form of blended wood that withstands changes in environment far more efficiently than a single plank or sheet of even the best hardwood.
3. Adverse Effects of Humidity. That’s the perfect segue to our next fact; moisture affects wood, warping and damaging the grain. Some types of hardwood flooring, many finishes, have natural defenses against damp conditions, but it’s a good idea to save your hardwood investment by not using the flooring near water. Avoid hardwood in bathrooms and around areas where water finds ingress.
4. Did someone say pets? Flooring faces natural wear and tear, the challenge of heavy traffic, and many other threats. IT can certainly withstand the movement of a few pets, but there are some catches to be aware of. Keep those claws and nails short to stop the silky finish being scratched. Clean up tracked dirt, any accidental messes left behind by a puppy that’s not yet house-trained.
5. Best Practice for Keeping that Like New look. Winds carry in dirt and grit from the outside. Walk on this grainy substance and your hardwood floor will begin to show signs of wear. Vacuum often to prevent this undesirable situation. Wipe the floor with specially designed cleaning products. Use mats to trap dirt, positioning them at doorways.
6. Will the Hardwood Floor Lighten or Fade Over Time? – Discoloration varies according to the wood type. While a dense, very dark wood will potentially resist fading, a lighter, redder wood will blanch or fade to orange as it’s exposed to direct sunlight. Confound this effect by using drapes, by placing rugs over areas by windows. Move furniture over regular intervals to avoid patterns of discoloration.
7. The Raw Appeal of Unfinished Wood Versus Finished Hardwood.  Prefinished wood has that buffed, smooth feel. Unfinished planks are raw and rustic, but lack finish and protection. Prefinished seems the obvious choice, but consider the flexibility of installing an unfinished floor, staining it to match your décor.
8. Tell Me What it Means to “Acclimate” My Hardwood Floor.  Well, the term refers to a scenario where the condition of the wood adjusts to the environmental levels of your home. This involves moving the cartons and boxes of flooring to your home and letting them sit for several days. Please note, engineered hardwood flooring does not require this consideration.
9. Can I Find Trims and Moldings for My Flooring? Yes, of course you can. Manufacturers normally offer entire ranges of trims and moldings to match the color and grain of flooring. Imagine a tastefully installed set of chestnut trimmings to match your newly installed hardwood flooring.
10. Calculate Costs by Knowing Exactly How Much Hardwood is Needed. Reduce hunches and conjecture by calculating an approximation of costs. This is no project for guesses when a hefty sum of cash is involved. There are software Apps provided by various flooring manufacturers to simplify the pricing process, but anyone with a little mathematical skill can figure out costs with paper and pen. Include room dimensions, room type, wood type, and the possible need for an installer in your final estimates. Factor in removal of previous flooring and the type of subfloor in the room.