Choose & Install Hardwood Floors: A Complete Guide Understanding the Many Varieties of Wood Flooring
The decision of the deck is probably the most important but important decision that a property holder needs to make when redeveloping, as it supports everything else. While there are many choices, from carpets to terrazo, one material is the recognized standard: hardwood.
In any case, not all hardwood floors are created equal, and choosing something is not just a matter of choosing the preferred shade. The range of different variables can affect two senses and action.
To explore the many options available, we spoke to three experts: Scott Jones, chief executive of Carlisle Wide Plank Flowers; James Carroll, Head of LV Wood; And Mara Miller, I mate. When you find the perfect fit for your space, you will need to consider the establishment. While you may decide to hire an expert to introduce your destination, some brave mortgages exceed everyone's expectations. If you're ready to take on the job yourself, Tony Pastrana, Armstrong Flooring's Establishment Framework Engineer, shared his recommendations on the most expert way to introduce your ground floor.
Step-by-step instructions for choosing a hardwood floor
1. Choose solid or engineered flooring.
Typically, hardwood floors consisted of thick planks of solid wood. Today, strong hardwood is still widely accessible, yet many organizations offer similarly designed ground surfaces - boards made with a thinner top layer of hardwood, attached to different layers. The purpose is to prevent the floor from moving during the expansion and construction cycle. "All wood moves in three ways: degrading, spreading and protracted growth," says Jones. "With the designed items, you are creating conflicting forces inside the board to try to limit the normal growth of the wood."
Concrete sub-floors offer the advantage of a deck establishment, designed for basements and condos. Although reinforced wood has been introduced with more than two layers of compressed wood, which can increase the height of a story and interfere with existing entrances or barely reduce the height of the roof, "the designed deck. Can be glued directly to the concrete, or even more soundproofing mat, "says Carroll. "It's more suitable for the establishment than the heat."
In any case, choose carefully in light of the fact that the tops of some designed floors are so delicate that they cannot be sanded or restored later. Larger objects feature a thicker layer where "you get as much usable wood as you get from strong planks," says Carroll, noting that with strong wood, "you Only the tongue and the upper part of the sign can be used. Restoring. "
The picture may include a wooden shelf and carpet.
Designed (above) and strong wooden floor cross segments.
Observation
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Despite the advantages of the designed deck, few property owners actually favor strong wood. "There's nothing about strong hardwood that is quite the opposite," says Miller. "You can feel it down, and it's calm."
2. Select Prefabricated or Finished Site.
Hardwood boards can be purchased with a raw face wrapped by an expert after installation, or pre-fabricated, which appears with pre-applied paint and a top coat. The advantage of prefabricated wood is that "you know exactly what you are getting," says Carol, noting that once you have chosen something, You will have a definite example of how to manage your home's shading range and use it in picking other things. Planning components, such as materials, divider cover, and cabinetry. The prefabricated floor separates less effort to introduce additional, in light of the fact that there is no compelling reason for shedding or applying sealant. "The moment you decide to delete the site," he adds, "you're lightening the dice a bit, and it depends on the ground-level project worker's ability to nail it to the head."
In any case, close proximity takes into account a custom limit that is requested from multiple property holders and creators. "That way, we have significantly more command over stains and glare. The end result will be smoother," Miller notes. It is then filled with sand to make sure it is completed and then completed as a stand-alone aircraft. "That's a bit of a detail," she says, "but it does have an effect."
3. Select the type of finish.
Jones says the oil has a wide range from infiltrating oils to oil-like crossbreads, from site-financing polyurethanes to pre-manufactured UV-free urethane wrappers. To improve, however, most finishes can be classified as one of two categories: oil or polyurethane.
Carol says the oil seeps into the woodIt looks and feels "extremely delicate, matte and regular." In any case, it is not as invincible and harmful to the colors as the polyurethane hane, which forms a hard top coat on the outer layer of wood, which is "stronger for mileage, especially for young people." , Or when food is circulating around the kitchen. "
The oil completes the scratch more efficiently, yet also makes the scratch less noticeable. "It's just as easy to clean up places when there's a problem," says Carroll. "With polyurethane, you need to massively replace the board or buff and recreate the entire floor."
"Support is a compensation I suggest paying now-or-me-later," says Jones. "With a delicate oil supplement, your care is more straightforward, however you need to do it more often. The harder you work with polyurethane, the less support you need. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person. "
4. Think of the types of wood.
In North America, oak rules hardwood floors in light of current conditions. "It's a really strong wood that finishes really well," says Jones. It also has an interesting common grain and is widely accessible throughout the region, at a reasonable cost. In planning circles, white oak is especially popular on the grounds that it does not have the pink color of red oak.
Pecan is another well-known decision. Although slightly lighter than oak, it has deep shading that makes it ideal for rooms that require a faster finish. "Assuming you're changing the shading, it's ideal to start with a feature material that you add as little as you can to meet the shade you need," says Carroll. Can imagine. " He added that pecans are a specialty decision when you want "extravagant, warm tones". Other hardwoods of North America that are immediately accessible include hawthorn, cherry, maple and debris. The decision usually boils down to individual inclinations as far as shedding and grain are concerned.
5. Choose your grain pattern.
The logs are cut in three unique ways - simple, break sawn, and quarter sawn - giving the grain three distinctive designs. Simple Sawan produces traditional wood grain, in which the immovable design is known as churches. "When you hear the term wood grain, you think about it," says Carroll.
Crack saw sheets, by examination, contain a long, straight, stable grain, excluding church buildings. Carol says the quarter-summer sheets look like cracks, but with extra unexpected figures, "light, practically with 3D rays that scatter across the board." "It simply came to our notice then. It depends on whether you are joking or not."
As a rule, hardwood floors are sold as simple, or as a combination of fracture and quarter sawn. "The mix is great because it gives you a fraction of the data but doesn't take much effort," says Jones. However, it is possible to use whole creek wood or a quarter of sawn wood whenever you want.
Miller says there is something terrible or terrible about wood grain. "It just depends on the application, and what you want. In more provincial property, we can use simple views; in the city, we can use Quarter Sawan to add a touch to life."
6. Decide the width of the plate.
Despite the fact that at some point in the past it seemed that practically all hardwood floors were introduced in a few inch strips, many people now use wider boards. "There's a sense of extravagance and cost associated with a larger board," says Miller. "When you go beyond the standard, it starts to feel unique. That's why the four- to six-inch board is our standard." In particular, depending on the size of the room and the application, "she says, given that the wider the room, the wider the board. They will choose.
In LV Wood, Carroll says, "seven inches have become our standard wide board floor," and the sizes go up from that point. Even so, owning one is still beyond the reach of the average person, he says. "The more you expand, the more it costs."
Although a story made of broad planks will have fewer creases than a story of thin strips, be aware that these creases may eventually become more prominent as the wood expands and shrinks. Since changes in wood are not spread in as many sheets as possible, progress can be misrepresented.
Hardwood flooring
: Courtesy Armstrong Flooring
Step-by-step instructions for installing hardwood floors
Tools and materials
"Depending on the type of hardwood flooring you are introducing, you may need different tools and materials," says Tony Pastrana, Armstrong Flooring Establishment Framework Designer. "You may need a pneumatic deck nail, drill and bore, hammer, nails, pliers and saws."Consult the guidelines included with your ground level and make sure you have all the tools ready and accessible.
1. Determine the installation method.
You will need to start by deciding on the right system for the destination of your choice. Says the pastor. "Typically, hardwood floors are nailed or stapled to the wood flooring. Designed hardwood can be accurately glued, glued, or" floating floor ". He also notes that strong wood should not be introduced below the grade.
Understanding the Many Varieties of Wood Flooring
Strong wood
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Designed wood
Exported timber
Ultimate Guide to Hardwood Flooring
Beauty, Quality, and Longevity: How to Make the Most of Your Wood Floors
Tree Translations
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