For centuries hardwood floors have been relied on to finish homes and living quarters. In today's world, hardwood flooring has seen many improvements and the many choices make hardwood flooring a luxury. When choosing hardwood flooring, you will be faced with many decisions to make that will allow you to achieve the perfect look for your home or office. It is important that you look at all of your options and think about the look and feel that you are going for when making these important choices.
The choices you will have to make when selecting your hardwood flooring are numerous. For starters, you will have to select a species of wood. Here you will have many choices, but some popular options include Red Oak and White Oak, American Cherry, Hard Maple and Brazilian Cherry. When you are deciding on a species, you will want to consider the hardness of the wood and the color. The hardness of the wood depends on what is called the Janka test in which a small steel ball is pressed into the wood. The deeper the ball goes, the softer the wood, and vice versa. It is important to note that both soft woods and hard woods have benefits. Hard woods are very durable, while softer woods are easier to saw and nail.
Another thing to consider when selecting the species of hardwood is the color. Some species of hardwood flooring come in colors that remain the same color even with age, while in other species, the color of the wood actually changes as it is exposed to light over time. It is also important to note that because wood is a natural material, some species of hardwood flooring have several colors mixed into them. The basic colors of hardwood flooring to choose from range from light browns, dark browns, tans reds and burgundies.
The cut and the finishing are the other two choices you need to make when selecting hardwood flooring. The cut is pretty simple, you just choose the width that you want your flooring cut in. You can choose from a variety of slender or wide cuts.
The finishing that you have to choose from is either unfinished wood or finished wood. There are certain benefits to each. Unfinished wood is wood that is not treated prior to installation. This means that the wood is installed and then you must finish it. Because this involves dealing with powerful fumes, dust and odor, you and your family may not be able to stay in your home while your floors are being finished. In addition, they will take some time to dry properly. However, you have many more stain choices, color choices and the choice between a high gloss or a satin finish. Finishing wood can also save you money, as it is something that is not hard to do yourself if you know what you are doing. If you aren't sure what you are doing, your best bet is to consult with a professional.
The other finishing option you have is to use finished hardwood flooring. This means that the wood is finished and treated in the factory before it is brought to your home for installation. The obvious perks to this route include things such as you won't have to deal with the toxic fumes, you won't have to wait for it to dry, finished wood tends to be more durable and it usually comes with a factory warranty. The downside to finished wood is that you won't have as much control over the final appearance as there are limited finished wood colors and stains to choose from.
By:Andy West
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