What to consider in hardwood flooring
Wood floors make an excellent first impression for your home, adding warmth, elegance, and charm. These floors are versatile and work with any decor from the most traditional to rustic, farmhouse-style, cottage, and California coastal. Choosing the right wood floor is more than just selecting color so consider these facts when looking at hardwood flooring.
Solid vs. engineered hardwood
As the name implies, solid is one thickness throughout but engineered combines the beauty of solid with a bit of manufacturing to give it some practicality. At the top is a slice of whatever species you choose, be it oak, maple, hickory, ash, etc., and underneath are three or more layers combined with a bit of resin and placed in a crosswise position. As a result, it's stable with a better ability to handle water.
It also needs no acclimation needed before installation because it won't move to adjust to the weather. The floors can be installed in any grade level and over concrete, challenging with other floorings due to dampness issues. While the installation of solid hardwood is always the traditional tongue and groove/nail down, engineered offers an additional option: the fast and easy floating floor where the pieces click together, mat, then hover over the subfloor without nails or glue.
It also needs no acclimation needed before installation because it won't move to adjust to the weather. The floors can be installed in any grade level and over concrete, challenging with other floorings due to dampness issues. While the installation of solid hardwood is always the traditional tongue and groove/nail down, engineered offers an additional option: the fast and easy floating floor where the pieces click together, mat, then hover over the subfloor without nails or glue.
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Do you want factory (pre) finished or on-site finishing?
Factory finishing is ultra-convenient with no mess, no odors, and no clean-up. You also know what you're getting and, with samples in hand, you can start coordinating even before the floors arrive. On-site, however, offers a more significant variation of stains and lacquers, and some prefer having more control over sheen.
Why thickness matters
This determines how many times any wood floor can be sanded. The ideal thickness for solid is ¾-inch, and it can be sanded up to six times. Engineered rangers from ⅜-inch to ½-inch, with thicker being better. Engineered wood flooring can be sanded up to five times, depending on that number.
Do you have extra durability needs?
Know that not every species doesn't have the same hardness level, so tell your flooring expert if you have extra durability requirements. Ask about the Janka Scale of Hardness and if you need extra strength, look for a rating at or above 1200. White oak and hickory are hard domestics, as are any exotic species.
Whether it's an uncomplicated floating floor for engineered hardwood flooring or the more complex tongue and groove of solid, you can be sure of a high quality, craftsmen-like installation. To learn more, visit the Flooring Doctor showroom in Langhorne, PA. convenient to areas in and around Langhorne, PA, Bensalem, PA, Feasterville-Trevose, PA, Holland, PA, Levittown, PA, Newtown, PA, Richboro, PA, Southampton, PA, Washington Crossing, PA and Washington Crossing, PA.
Whether it's an uncomplicated floating floor for engineered hardwood flooring or the more complex tongue and groove of solid, you can be sure of a high quality, craftsmen-like installation. To learn more, visit the Flooring Doctor showroom in Langhorne, PA. convenient to areas in and around Langhorne, PA, Bensalem, PA, Feasterville-Trevose, PA, Holland, PA, Levittown, PA, Newtown, PA, Richboro, PA, Southampton, PA, Washington Crossing, PA and Washington Crossing, PA.
