Stone, tile, laminate, vinyl, carpet, metal and glass—when it comes to flooring and carpet, your options are more varied today than ever. But wood floors are different: they have a unique appeal that no modern material can hope to match. Perhaps it’s their lasting quality, their timeless look, or the way they fit perfectly into any décor theme. Whatever it is, wood will always be one of the best investments for home flooring. No matter what your style is, a high-quality wood floor is sure to give you your money’s worth.
Of course, not all woods are built the same. And needless to say, not all of them will give you the same look and wear the same way. With the advent of new manufacturing technologies, pretty much any wood can now be made into flooring. How do you know which ones will best suit your home? Often, it’s a combination of many factors, including budget, lifestyle, and personal tastes. One thing’s for sure: it’s important to get to know your choices. If you want a wood floor but aren’t sure what to choose, here’s a quick guide to help you out.
Hardwoods and softwoods
You’re probably more familiar with hardwood floors, but what really makes it different from softwood? The technical difference lies in the trees from which they’re taken. Hardwoods come from broad-leaved angiosperm trees, while softwoods come from conifers. As the name suggests, hardwood trees like beech, oak, ash and maple usually yield harder planks and tend to be more expensive. They also tend to have a richer, darker color, which adds an elegant feel to the home.
Softwood floors are usually favored for their warmer colors and more welcoming look. While they’re not as tough as hardwood, they also hold up pretty well against regular wear and tear. They look particularly good in living rooms and dens, and usually fit quite well into country style décor. Some of the most popular softwoods are pine, spruce and fir. Look for one with a hard, clear coat to help it last longer and give it a smoother, sleeker finish.
Types of construction
There are various ways to make wood floor planks, but the most common are solid, engineered and laminate. Solid wood flooring is easily the most durable, but also the most expensive. A solid wood plank consists of a single piece cut directly from the tree, treated and stained before packing. Engineered planks are made up of several layers of cheaper timber, with the top layer often made of real hardwood. This not only makes production cheaper, but also allows flexibility for homes that can’t take sold planks.
Laminate floors are a good alternative to real wood flooring, especially for homeowners on a budget. Each plank is made from several layers of soft timber, topped with a photographic layer and a hard urethane coating. The print is usually of a wood floor, so you get the same look for less. Today’s laminate floors are so realistic that you won’t see or feel the difference unless you check the planks themselves.
Flooring finishes
Another decision you’ll have to make is whether to get an unfinished or finished floor. Unfinished floors, as implied, have no treatments whatsoever and will take more work to prepare and install. Finished floors come in ready-to-use formats and are ideal for DIY enthusiasts. Each one has its pros and cons, and it’s really a matter of how much work you’re willing to do to get your flooring the way you want it.
The main advantage of a finished floor is that it’s easy to install and doesn’t make a lot of mess. However, you may get gaps between the planks, which makes it less smooth and often works as a dirt trap. An unfinished floor makes a flatter surface, and if properly installed, will leave no gaps for dirt and be easier to clean. It may cost you more both in material and labor, but the results are often more than worth it.
Quality and grading
One last factor you’ll have to consider is the grade of the wood. Wood floor grading is done by the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association (NOFMA) and comes in four levels: NOFMA Clear, NOFMA Select, NOFMA No.1 Common, and NOFMA No.2 Common.
The Clear grade means the floor is made mostly from heartwood, or the core of the tree where the surface is more uniform. Select woods have a bit more variation than Clear, although knots and streaks are still minimal. The No.1 and No.2 Common grades refer to floors with more imperfections, such as knots, grain, streaks and character marks. These imperfections do not necessarily affect the quality of the wood, and some people actually prefer them as they give the flooring more variety. In the end, it’s more a question of personal taste and budget.
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