Sunday 21 August 2016

5 Durable Alternatives To Hand-scraped Hardwood Floors


These days, high-quality artisan quality hand scraped hardwood floors are definitely a ‘fad’ and make all kinds of wooden floors look more real. Found in contemporary to eclectic and rustic styles, hand-scraped hardwood can create any look you like.

Aesthetically, the timeworn appearance of hand sculptured hardwood flooring lends an old-time warmth and atmosphere to any room. Modern homeowners who seek style, elegance, and individuality are increasingly falling in love with this kind of distressed wooden look that produces floors of incredible beauty. If you are buying a new home or just renovating the looks of your old home, express your personal style with these custom designed handscraped hardwood floors and add more character to our space.

What is your preference? 

Soft subtle scraping or deeper hand scraping for a more rustic look; choose the look that compliments the style and décor of your rooms. If you are a family with bouncy kids and pets with scratchy paws, then, you may like to go in for the textured surface of hand scraped hardwood floors which are more forgiving towards small scratches and dents. 

The process of hand scraping wooden boards brings out the unique graining and natural beauty of all kinds of wood species. In this range of flooring options, you are likely to find various styles and grades of wood species like solid, engineered, hand scraped, click locking, distressed, natural colored or the original stained ones. It’s essential to remember that even the best of wooden boards react to the moisture levels existing in the place that they need to be fixed in. 

So, it is advisable to acclimatize the wood at least a week prior to installation so that there is a minimum expansion of the wooden flooring in future.

With so much and so many hardwood flooring options to choose from, it is important that you freeze your choice upon an exotic wood species that looks beautiful in any setting. Here are some of the most popular hardwood flooring alternatives to choose from.

Brazilian Walnut


Because of is Janka Hardness Rating of 3680, most homeowners like to opt for this exotic variety of Brazilian Walnut for high traffic areas. This species of hardwood has moderate color variations from medium brown to deep chocolate brown to impart a rich look. Because of its warmth and durability, it is no small wonder that this kind of handscraped hardwood flooring is gaining popularity with homeowners across the world. The straight grains of Brazilian Walnut mixed with the irregular patterns of the natural wood create interesting visuals that are perfect for bringing warmth and elegance to any room.

Brazilian Teak


Brazilian teak is also known as Cumaru or Golden Teak. With a Janka Hardness Rating of 3540, it is 160% harder than Red Oak and is one of the hardest wood species available for hardwood flooring. Cumaru is known for its interlocking grain pattern and colors ranging from light to dark brown. This type of dense wooden flooring is stable and durable. It resists all kinds of dents and scratches caused by daily wear and tear, courtesy high traffic. Overall, Brazilian Teak makes for an elegant and attractive hand scraped hardwood floor option.

Brazilian Cherry


Brazil seems to be the place for some of the most exotic wood species with high Janka Hardness Rating. Brazilian Cherry, which is also popularly known as Jatoba, has a Janka Hardness Rating of 2820. Homeowners love the unique graining and richly colored patterns of Brazilian Cherry. In case you opt for the same, rest assured, this hardwood floor is definitely going to be the main attraction for your home as well. If you are looking for deep, rich and warm tones for the floors of your home or office, then, hand scraped hardwood floor made from Brazilian Cherry is the solution to your needs. Pick what you love the most! 

Santos Mahogany


Santos Mahogany, also known as Cabrueva, is one of the most coveted and sought-after exotic hardwood flooring choices amongst homeowners. With a Janka Hardness Rating of 2200, these floors are 18% harder than Hickory floors, thus making them an excellent choice for durable floors. This exotic species of incredibly hard and dense wood is mostly found in southern Mexico and Central America. The graining of this hardwood is wavy and its dark brown hue with lustrous red undertones adds elegance to any kind of décor.

Tigerwood


The grain pattern of this exotic species of wood resembles the stripes of a tiger, hence the name Tigerwood. This hardwood is also known as Bolivian Koa and has a Janka Hardness Rating of 2160, thereby making it a popular species of hardwood with interior decorators and homeowners who love the style and crave for attention-grabbing designs. Because of its intense graining, tigerwood looks best on planks that are wider than 5 inches. The coloration of tigerwood planks gets richer when exposed to light. In most cases, it takes about three months for the color of the plank to stabilize. Tigerwood hand scraped hardwood flooring creates a beautiful and stunning backdrop for any room; all you need to do is add a few decorative accents that are equally bold in design to create a room full of spice.

Way Forward with Handscraped Hardwood


Apart from the exotic wood species, there are many other domestic hardwood flooring wood species that are perfect for traditional setting such as Red Oak, White Oak, Maple, Birch, Walnut, Hickory, Yellow Pine and other varieties. With a Janka Hardness Rating of 1290, Red Oak Natural is one of the most popular domestic wood species. Red Oak hardwood floors have a strong graining for hiding the scratches and dents caused due to daily wear and tear.

Once you have decided to get a more rustic look in your home and are ready to go in for hand scraped hardwood floors, you would like to know,“How difficult is it to refinish hand scraped hardwood floors?” Well, put your mind at rest. Refinishing a hand scraped hardwood floor is very easy - the small scrapes and dents can be fixed with light sanding and re-scraping can be done with modern finishes and stains.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick the perfect hand scraped hardwood flooring option for your home that fits your budget- you will be glad you did!

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