Hardwood flooring options are many and have to be purchased after careful consideration. So, what all goes into the making of such floors? Read on to find more.
What is hardwood flooring all about?
This is a type of flooring that is made up of wood timber. The floors are either structural or aesthetic. These days, floors made of hardwood are catching the fancy of property owners, architects and designers mainly because of their durability metrics and environment-friendly manufacturing processes. Long-lasting and appealing to the core, this kind of flooring depicts its own old world charm and adds volumes to just about any setting.
So, whether you have plans of renovating your residential space or are looking towards constructing your office from the scratch, high-quality hardwood flooring is what you should be looking at next.
There are different types of wood flooring. These are:
- Hardwood flooring
- Solid wood manufacturing
- Other wood manufacturing
- Rotary Peel
- Sliced Peel
- Dry Solid Sawn
- Engineering wood manufacturing
- Lamella
- Core or substrate
- Aesthetics
Once you determine the measurements of the flooring area and gain a fair idea about the pattern that will match adjoining spaces, you will be better positioned to choose the flooring option that meets your budget and needs alike.
The two major types or styles of hardwood flooring are solid hardwood flooring and engineered wood flooring.
In most cases, hardwood floors are manufactured from the wood variants found in America, like oak, cherry, maple, white ash, etc. These floors need to be constructed with the right set of materials and composition for imparting the right finish to modern homes.
An essential thing to consider about wood flooring is moisture.
Yes, moisture plays an important role in the manufacturing and installing process of this flooring. Remember, excessive moisture is harmful to wood as it makes it soggy and slippery. Therefore, manufacturers ensure adequate moisture retention capacity in their choice of raw materials to ensure good results.
Solid Hardwood Flooring
Solid hardwood flooring is a type of flooring that can be installed only on or above the ground level, or over a wooden sub-floor. It consists of a single wooden piece that has been carved as per the requirement.
These floors have tongue and groove sides to make two or more pieces of wood connect in better ways. As wood reacts wildly to moisture, and floors made of a single piece of wood are capable of faster deterioration than those boasting of layers, solid hardwood floors are seldom used in floodable basements. They are primarily built over wood type sub-floors as they retain moisture and may turn icky over time.
The amazing part about solid wood flooring is that it lasts longer than normal human life and can also be refinished and relocated over its entire lifespan.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
The main reason that guided the engineering of hardwood was the need to use wood and natural alternatives in places where the solid wood flooring was impossible. This wood flooring type has become an essential addition to the world of flooring and is surely a smart option that’s preferred by many. However, it is costlier than solid flooring.
Engineered hardwood flooring can be used at all places to render a smooth and elegant finish. Such wooden floors consist of layers over layers of wood, which help in moisture repelling.
A minimum of three layers is present in this type of flooring. Cross-ply engineered wood flooring is dimensionally stable and doesn’t get affected by moisture content. Premium quality cross-ply does not expand or contract with respect to climatic changes, a la solid wood flooring; neither does it leave behind glaring holes as a result of weathering and depreciation.
Engineered wood flooring is available in all sizes and may or may not consist of different species of wood in its various layers. This gives builders the liberty of using different kinds of hardwood based raw materials at different places, thereby reducing their overall construction cost.
Long Strip Hardwood Flooring
Long strip type wood flooring is a mixture of engineered-type and solid wood-type flooring. It has several thin pieces of wood that are glued together to form a single heap.
This type does not hold moisture and still has the life of solid wood flooring. Such flooring is a good option when the application of flooring requires a floating surface. Do know that with floating surfaces, floors do not absorb much moisture and tend to be more stable than otherwise.
Why is Hardwood Flooring Better than Laminate Flooring?
Hardwood flooring styles can be replaced and repaired repeatedly for giving a new and fresh look whenever required. On the other hand, laminate flooring does not give this guarantee and has to be replaced from scratch in case of any major damage.
Hardwood is stronger than laminate and can handle extreme stress in a small area. Another advantage is that laminate flooring would buckle with moisture, but properly manufactured hardwood is very sturdy, long-lasting, and durable.
Also, looks do matter, and hardwood floors give off a sleeker look than the highest quality laminate flooring. Take your pick!
How and Where to get the Best Hardwood Flooring?
Hardwood floor contractors are easily available with many companies having flooring as their main business. The best way to get discounted hardwood floors is to search online, in yellow directories, or by getting first-hand information from peers and family members.
Just make sure that the flooring you are getting is of the best quality and suits your budget. Do not jump to shops based on commercial advertising strategies, rather, make a survey and choose what you feel is best for your home.
Take the right decision to go for quality hardwood flooring only, and choose the best hardwood floor services for it.
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