Nothing makes a home look more elegant, warm and inviting than wood flooring throughout. You simply cannot ask for a more durable and beautiful flooring scheme, and that may just be the reason that more homeowners than ever are choosing hardwood flooring for their homes. It not only lasts for years, but it also adds value to your home and property. If you do not currently have it in your home, but would like to install it, please do, but there are some things that you may want to consider before settling on any one type.
How it is created
Most of the wood used to create wood floors is pre-finished at the factory long before it is installed in your home, although you do have the choice of ordering unfinished wood. Unfinished wood can always be stained and finished on-site, before being installed. This type is known as solid wood, and has been the favorite when homeowners are choosing hardwood flooring, and has been used for centuries. It can be finished and refinished several times over the years, and will last for decades.
Another kind of wood flooring, engineered wood, uses several layers of real wood that is sandwiched together. Each layer is laid crosswise to the previous layer, creating a solid weave of real wood planes that is just as durable as the solid wood version. This type can also be refinished when necessary, but the number of times this can be done will depend on the thickness of the topmost layer. In recent years, a layer of aluminum oxide has been added to most manufactured wood flooring, which extends its durability, so much so that it is not unusual to see manufacturer's warranties that extend fifty years or more.
Species Available
Another choice that will have to be made when ordering wood floors to be installed in your home is the species of wood that you wish to have. The most popular styles are generally broken down into two distinct categories: domestic hardwoods and exotic. The domestic type includes more than fifty different species, with the most popular being walnut, maple, pine, ash, hickory and beech. The exotic category includes species that are imported, like tiger wood, Brazilian cherry and Amendoim. The most popular exotic out there today, however, is bamboo.
Bamboo is, by far, the best-selling choice in wood flooring today. It is an environmentally conscious alternative to real wood, and is equally as durable as any domestic hardwood available today. It is available in both horizontal and vertical grains, and can be left natural or in a carbonized form. The carbonization process will heat the bamboo to achieve a darker tone, and improves its durability. Bamboo can be stained into uniform darker colors, or it can be left as strands, with alternating dark and light grains throughout. It is available in both engineered and solid formats.
Widths and Finishes
The last few choices to make when ordering wood floors for your home are to decide on the widths of the wood, and the decorative finishes that are available. The different widths these are available in can make its own decorative statement in your home, when used properly. It all depends on the total look you are striving for. Traditional oak strip, for example, has narrower pieces of wood, measuring around 2 ½" in width. Wood planks are another popular choice, which range anywhere from 3" to 7" in width. The wider planks make for a more modern look, while the narrower choices make it look more antique.
When choosing hardwood flooring, you must also take into consideration the finish you want for the overall decorative effect. Still others prefer that the wood remain its natural color, or stained to a color of their choice. Whitewashed or a distressed finish is also an option for anyone who wishes their flooring to look older and more classic, if that is what will fit in best in their home. That look will also provide a dramatic backdrop for any antique rugs that you may want to utilize as well.
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