Important Considerations When Buying and Installing a Hardwood Floor
A hardwood floor can add to the overall look and beauty of a home. When chosen and installed properly, this floor can last for many years while retaining its beautiful look without requiring replacement. Apart from its beautiful look, this flooring also increases the value of a home. Currently, there are many styles from which homeowners can choose from. There are also different kinds of wood that homeowners can choose to use in their homes. Homeowners can purchase exotic and domestic species such as cork and bamboo to use in their homes. There are also different manufacturers of these woods from whom buyers can get their flooring from.
Factors to Consider When Buying and Installing a Hardwood Floor
When you go shopping for this flooring there are factors that you need to consider to ensure that you get the best value for your money and the look that you want your home to have. You need to start by knowing the kind of look that you want for your home. For instance, you may prefer a darker floor or a lighter one. Different woods are made with various finishes that give homeowners the freedom to choose the final look that they want for their homes. Buyers can choose prefinished floors that are usually stained with a strong coating. Thus, the homeowner just needs to go to the store with the color they want for their floors in mind to guide them in choosing the wood type.
It is also important to know that a hardwood floor can be installed on different levels of a home. Manufacturers of this flooring have come up with multiple constructions that can be used on different levels in a home. This gives homeowners more flexibility in choosing the kind of installation to use on different sub floors of their homes as well as mitigating moisture. Therefore, before you go shopping for this flooring for your home, identify the level and sub floor where you want it to be installed to guide you in choosing the best construction. For instance, solid hardwood floors cannot be installed directly over a cement subfloor but engineered hardwood floors can.
You should also consider the species of the wood that you use on your floor. There are different species from which you can choose to have installed in your home. They include domestic species such as maple, oak and cherry. There are also exotic species such as the Brazilian cherry, cork and bamboo. Every species has a unique grain pattern. For instance, while maple is subtle, oak has very distinguished grains. Hardness also varies by different species. However, it is always important to know that hardwood being a natural resource can suffer from dents which are not covered by warranties of many manufacturers. Therefore, before choosing a species to be installed in your home, consider its susceptibility to dents by finding out more about their hardness level.
Other factors that you should consider when installing this type of flooring include the color, texture and width. While there are various colors to choose from with domestic hardwood species, exotic species have to be exposed to light to get a rich color since they are photosensitive. Wider planks depict the beauty of a home as they make the wood the main focus. However, the overall look of a hardwood floor may be determined by pattern, grain and texture of the wood used.
This article was brought to you by Tina, a writer for Floor and Decor Outlets of America, the leading discount retailer for all flooring options including hardwood flooring, engineered wood floors, and various tile options.