With so many available choices for hardwood floors, the active and environmentally responsible consumers of today need information to simplify their decision on new hardwood flooring.
Below are a few of the things you will want to learn to make the ideal selection for your hardwood floors.
Pre-Finished
Pre-finished hardwood floors are merely that: already trimmed and sealed, by the producer, with four coats of ultraviolet-cured urethane resin. It gives consistent quality, faster installation and instant gratification, which means that you can walk onto it as soon as it's laid. Time and money saved through the setup generally off-set the high material price up-front.
Engineered Solid Hardwood
Engineered solid hardwood floors have to be sanded and prepared onsite. While it will offer more colour options, it needs extensive preparation. The sanding process is messy and significant drying periods are necessary after every sealing round (required up to five times for completion). While the up-front material cost is reduced, don't forget the additional finishing costs.
Engineered Woods
Engineered floors, composed of a plywood base that is coated with a 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick coating of timber, functions well in bathrooms and for areas where mild moisture may be an issue. It's virtually always pre-finished.
Since the top coating is so thin, it can not be sanded more than once or twice and generally needs an expert to take action. Remember that the less costly options can't be sanded whatsoever because of the very thin top surface. You would sand right through to the base plywood!
Considerations
A strong hardwood floor provides decades of exceptional beauty, lasting service and versatility. Bear in mind, solid hardwood floors can be substituted for altering tastes or excess wear. It might initially cost a bit more, but even as trends evolve, they’re likely to stay popular.
Hardwood flooring is non-toxic and traps no contaminants like mold spores or dust.
Caring for these floors is simple. A light dusting, occassional cleaning, vacuuming or sweeping will maintain the hardwood floors and keep them looking great while being allergen-free.
U.S. hardwoods are also really sustainable. The US Forest Service, at a 2008 report, confirmed the average annual net increase for hardwoods is higher than the average yearly removals. The quantity of hardwood timberland in western forests is nearly twice that of 50 years back.
U.S. hardwoods are a natural, carbon-negative substance. They do not produce any emissions for methane, nitrogen oxides and other particulate matter and they're homegrown too. Being sustainably sourced further reduces their carbon footprint.
When thinking about a specific U.S. hardwood species, look closely at its hardness score scale, known as the Janka Scale. For high traffic areas, contemplate Oak, Maple, Cherry and Ash species as these have greater hardness ratings.
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