Tips To Select the Right Hardwood Flooring
When it comes to flooring your house there is nothing better than hardwood floors. They are easy to install, maintain and add elegance to your home décor. Hardwood floors seamlessly fit within any room, creating a comfortable atmosphere inside it. It is important that you choose the right kind of material for your hardwood flooring. In this article we shall discuss some tips which will help you in selecting the right hardwood flooring material for your home:
Choose Well
You might be surprised with the number of choices which you have for hardwood floors. You will need to select between solid and engineered wood. If you have selected solid wood you will further need to choose between strips, planks, and parquets. Strips vary in thickness while planks vary in width with only a few varieties of thickness available. Parquets are patterned boards that offer a unique appearance.
Wood Strength
There is a wide variety in hardwood flooring material in terms of strength. Red oak and white oak are dense and therefore last for number of years. These are ideal for high traffic areas of your home. Cherry wood on the other hand is soft and pliable but can add a splash of style to your floors. Douglas fir is soft but very popular as ornamental wood for decorative flooring.
Know Your Budget
Hardwood floors lie on the expensive side of flooring materials and with all the variety available prices can vary substantially. Flooring materials sell based on square foot and it is wise to plan the wood requirement well in advance to prevent wastage of money. You can also base your purchase with the traffic expected to ensure you save a few hundred dollars.
Color and Texture
There is a wide variety of color available when it comes to hardwood floors. There are many exotic species which not stained because their natural color is very popular. These are photosensitive and need exposure to sunlight to achieve their desired rich color. There are many types of texture to choose from, including smooth, hand-scraped, distressed, and wire brushed. You can choose them based on your need and taste.
Think About Finish
Hardwood floors can come with a surface finish or a penetrating finish. Wood strips, planks, and parquets are stained and then given a topcoat of polyurethane for protection. You need to protect them from moisture. While in the penetrating type, finish soaks in the wood and a special wax is used to add shine to it.
These tips will help you in selecting the right hardwood flooring material. Once you have chosen it make sure you get the installation done perfectly from an expert. No matter how good the flooring material is, if not installed properly they can spoil the entire look and feel of your home.
Things To Know About Hardwood Floor Installation
There is nothing which adds more to the décor of your room than nicely installed and maintained hardwood floors. When it comes to hardwood flooring installation plays a vital part in the entire process. With the advances in the different types of flooring, they can be installed in all rooms of your home. There are a few facts that you should know about hardwood floors. In this article we shall discuss the important things which you should keep in mind while installing hardwood floors.
Sub-Floor is Key
A sub-floor is one of the most important factors for hardwood flooring. You will need to lay a secure sub-floor for smooth installation of hardwood floors. You can use a pre-existing concrete floor or wooden floor to lay the new flooring material. You will need to provide a layer of insulation against moisture which will protect your floor from underneath.
Inspect The Wood
Inspect the pieces before installation of flooring. You will not want to spend your valuable time working with defective materials. It is very important that once the installation process starts you should be able to finish the job at one go.
Consider Moisture
Are you going to install the flooring material in an area with lot of moisture? If so then avoid the use of solid hardwood flooring and use an engineered floor instead. This can hold up to relatively low levels of moisture without being damaged. In case you are going to use the material in places like the kitchen or bathroom which are prone to spills, you can choose laminate hardwood flooring.
Choose Color Carefully
You should decide the color of the wooden flooring based on the volume of traffic and the kind of wear and tear that you expect in that particular area of your house. Lighter colored woods will not be able to endure busier areas. If you’re having hardwood floors installed in a corridor that receives a lot of traffic, a dark color will last the longest.
Do It Yourself
Installing hardwood floor needs a little bit of expertise. If you have the expertise you can choose to do it yourself. In this case you will also need to know the process of sanding and polishing your hardwood floors. If you have children or pets, you may want to get them out of the house until the finish dries to ensure that they do not mess it up.
Keeping these things in mild will help you in installation of hardwood floors in perfect manner and add elegance to your home. Hardwood floors should be cleaned regularly and be refinished from time to time allowing you to have awesome floor for years.
Tips To Repair Scratched Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors get scratched over a period of time which makes them look dull. Scratches may result due to moving of furniture, rubbing of shoes and dropping items over the floor. To retain the décor of your room it is very important that you remove these scratches. Repairing scratches in hardwood floors are easier than you may be thinking. You will not have to burn a hole in your pocket and call an expert for the job. Just follow these simple steps and you will be able to get rid of the scratches in your floor.
First things first, attend to a scratch immediately as with time it might turn ugly as small particles of dust easily settle in the scratched area.
To start with clean the scratched wood area with a clean cloth and commercial wood cleaner. The aim is to get rid of the dirt and stain in the picture. This will give you a perfect look at the scratch and you won’t grind dirt into the wood grain.
Rub a steel wool pad over the scratched surface to buff off the scratch. You need to be careful with this process as very hard rubbing might make the scratch more noticeable. Rub along the alignment of the planks.
Once you have buffed off the scratch you need to feather out the surrounding areas slightly with the steel wool. This is done to make sure that the sanding looks as natural as possible. Be very gentle with this process as there are no scratches in the surrounding.
If the scratches are still visible you need to rub a color matched wax wood repair stich to the area. You will find these sticks in three major colors blonde, clear, and brown which can be used for most surfaces. Avoid using the clear wax over scratched surfaces as it makes the floor look odd.
The wax will take some time to settle in and you should avoid walking over the floor for the time being. Let it dry naturally and do not use any artificial means to dry the surface.
Once the wax has settled wipe the area with a clean cloth in large sweeping motions. Avoid rubbing too hard over the surface as it might remove the scratch.
These tips will surely help you in removing small scratches from your hardwood floor. In case the scratch is a major one and caused by some sharp object it is advisable to call in the experts for the repair work.
Do It Yourself – Sand Your Floor
Sanding a floor from time to time helps it retain elegance. You can do it yourself by hand or electrically driven sanding machines which have become popular off late and can be hired. Here are a few tips that will help you in sanding your floor and giving it that new look:
Carefully sweep all dirt, dust and other debris from the floor. Set all the protruding nails to avoid damage to the sanding machine. Hardwood floors normally require two cuts but uneven floors might require more.
The first cut should be done with coarse or medium abrasive and the final with a fine abrasive for smoother finish.
Buff the floor with steel wool using a machine. But avoid using this on oak floors which aren’t protected with a finish as this might result in iron stains on the floors.
If you are sanding planks and strips the cut should be made along the direction of the planks and strips. For uneven floor you might need to make a 45 degree angle in the first cut. This will remove any peaks or valleys caused by minute variation in thickness of the strips or in the subfloor.
Use an edger after each pass to finish any areas which were not previously sanded such as edges, corners and areas around radiators which are difficult to reach with the electrically driven sanding machines.
Inspect the floor to see that all blemishes and visible scratches have been removed and that a smooth surface has been produced.
Use an open face paper to remove the old finish. The heat and abrasion of the sanding operation may make the old finish clog the sand paper.
In case you aren’t able to satisfactorily repair old flooring then apply a new finish to the floor to make it look elegant.
Tips To Clean Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors enhance the décor of your homes and make a style statement. No matter how old these floors are, they bring a classic look to your homes and offices. These floors are durable but they do require careful cleaning and maintenance. Hardwood floors tend to develop stains and get discolored if proper care isn’t taken regularly. Here are few tips that you should keep in mind to let your floors retain their elegance for years enhancing the beauty of your home:
Know Your Floors – Hardwood flooring is of different types and you need to know the type to ensure you clean them efficiently. If the flooring has urethane or polyurethane surface-sealed finish it makes your job easier as they have a protective coating. Others such as oil-treated, lacquered or varnished are more prone to scratches.
Daily Care – Dirt, grit and sand are the biggest enemies of your hardwood floors. To prevent these from scratching or dulling the finish, simply vacuum your hardwood floors on a daily basis. You should also clean it with a damp cotton mop once or twice a month. The vacuum should have an attachment with a soft head. Never use a vacuum with a beater brush on a hardwood floor. In case any food or liquid spills on the floor, it should be wiped up immediately with a damp cloth and then dried with a clean towel.
Avoid Water and Mixture – There is a tendency to clean hardwood flooring by mopping it with water and soap, which shouldn’t be done under any circumstance. Wooden floors absorb water which make them swell and expand. This is not good especially if wooden planks are close together. This leads to warping of the wood and can even crack and splinter it. As soon as you spill water on wood flooring, don’t hesitate to clean it right away, before any permanent damage is done to your flooring.
Resurface Regularly – Surface sealing keeps hardwood flooring durable and resistant to water and stains. These sealing wears down after a certain number of years from frequent treading. Hire a professional contractor to screen your wood flooring. This will involve taking off the urethane finish by using abrasives, without destroying the original wood underneath. After this fresh urethane or polyacrylic are applied successively on the floor to protect it and bring in a new look.
Place Entryway Rugs or Mats – Last but not the least the best way to keep your floor clean is to keep the dirt out. Make sure to rub your shoes against the run when you enter the house. The dust and dirt your shoes may bring from the outside cling to the rug and stay there. This prevents your hardwood floors from wear and tear.
These tips kept in mind will help you in keeping your hardwood floors elegant for years to come and add to the décor of your homes.
How Hardwood Floors Increase the Value of A Home
For most homeowners, a home represents the single largest investment. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for you to add value to your home. Wondering how to do this? Before we reveal it to you, ask yourself a simple question – what is the first thing that you see on entering a house? It’s the floor. You can actually increase the value of your home simply by installing hardwood floors. It is estimated that hardwood flooring adds a 20-25% premium to your home.
Hardwood floors become your pride and your neighbor’s envy! They are considered as one of the most popular flooring materials the world over. Hardwood floors are affordable, which makes them a preferred choice among many home owners and increases the resale value of a property. Not only they increase the value of your house but also offer you many benefits, some of which are -
- Hardwood floors are durable and have a long life. Well maintained, hardwood floors can last up to a hundred years or even more.
- These floors are very easy to maintain and need little more than sweeping and vacuuming. You can also polish them very easily.
- Hardwood floors are cozy and warm which makes them ideal to walk on than other surfaces. Wood is an excellent insulator owing to thousands of tiny air chambers which hold in heat.
- Hardwood flooring is the healthiest of all flooring surfaces. Unlike carpets, which are breeding grounds for mold, mildew and dust mites, hardwood floors is ideal for people with environmental allergy.
Why Wood
Cost Effective
Unlike carpets, wood flooring can last a lifetime when property maintained while the average lifespan of carpet is officially five to seven years.
Timeless
The natural beauty, versatility and beauty of wood never goes out of style.
Neutrality
Decorating is easy with wood floors. Changing furniture or painting walls might clash with carpet colors but never wood. Wood is also a great choice when selling a home since there is never a need to replace the colors or style.
Cleanliness
Wood floors arent subject to the accumulation of dust, debris and other potential pollutants common in carpets.
Sustainable
New wood floor options like bamboo are increasingly made from environmentally friendly and sustainable resources unlike carpeting which is often petroleum based.
Waxing
Waxing is not such an arduous task anymore, and the newer water based acrylic waxes are simply appied, left to dry and don’t need to be buffed. The best place to use this water based wax, is a sand-on-site floor that is subject to lots of scratching. For some, the way to go is to use a high solids acrilyc wax. Top Gloss is available through the Cleaning Center at www.cleanreport.com. This is applied to a clean, well-finished wood surface and left to dry. It will give you that high shine you see on commercial floors. You will have to strip this wax off with a Mop Stripper and rewax, but this is only a once or twice a year project.
Just remember once you use this wax it may be impossibe to remove it all. Someday you may want to recoat the floor with a modern film finish, like polyurethane. You will have to sand the floor to the bare wood and completely refinish it. With a well maintained acrlyc waxed floor you may not have to for twenty years or so. I wouldn’t suggest using this water based waxing and stripping system on a pre-finished floor, there are just to many seams exposed to the water. But, a prefinished floor that has been re-coated at least twice on site will be quite water resistant.
