Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is something that has never gone out of style as flooring in homes and office buildings. It provides a rich look that adds grace and charm to any room of the home. Technological advancements have made it possible to produce superior styles of hardwood flooring in durable finishes. They can be installed over a variety of sub-floors, even concrete.

Hardwood flooring is available in many different species of wood, such as the popular oak, maple and ash, and also in a variety of exotic woods, such as bamboo. Exotic wood flooring provides uniqueness and quality to a room and help to enhance the décor. This choice provides homeowners with the chance to show the uniqueness of their personalities through their choice of flooring in the home.

There are usually four types of hardwood flooring that homeowners can choose from:

• Solid hardwood floors – this flooring consists of hardwood planks that are about ¾ inch thick. It is not recommended for installation on concrete sub - floors or in basements.
  
• Engineered hardwood floors – these are layers of wood that are glued together to form a wood plank. This flooring is also known as laminate flooring and is not genuine hardwood. Because it is less expensive than real hardwood, it has become a very popular choice for flooring on both new and older homes.
  
• Longstrip hardwood floors – this is a variation of the laminate flooring, but the strips are much long. In the manufacturing process two or three rows of hardwood strips are glued together to form a plank. They are suitable for any room of the home and any sub-floor.
  
• Exotic hardwood floors – these are floorings made from hardwoods found in other parts of the world. They are available in various colors and grains, in genuine hardwood and as laminate flooring.

When you decide to purchase hardwood flooring, you have to decide whether you want pre – finished or unfinished wood. Pre – finished hardwood already has the staining applied so that you see the shine on the planks. Unfinished hardwood requires you to apply the finish yourself. Pre-finished flooring will save you hours of laborious work and the clean up time afterwards. If you are already living in the home, this is the best choice, because the application needed to give a shine to the flooring gives off toxic fumes. You will have to leave the home until it dries completely once you apply it to the floor. A factory finish also gives you an extended warranty for scratches.

Many people prefer to have their hardwood flooring professionally installed. However, it is something you can do yourself. You need to have a proper nail gun or the glue to apply the flooring. Before you start, you have to make sure you clean the sub-floor, so that it is free from any dust and small pieces of dirt. This could work through the flooring after a while and damage it. You should start with one wall and work your way across the room. You will have to measure the room, so that you won’t have a full piece of hardwood on one side and have to cut a piece to fit it in on the other side of the room. Having the correct measurements let you see where you will have to cut pieces to get the look you desire.

Cleaning hardwood flooring is a very easy task. You should not use cleaning supplies that contain harsh chemicals because these may damage the shine on the floor. A mild detergent in warm water will clean up any dust and dirt on the floor and leave you with gleaming hardwood. It is important to wipe up any spills as soon they occur because they may stain the floor and mar its appearance.