Hardwood Floor Installation
A hardwood floor can be a beautiful addition to any home. As with any product that you might buy, you should always research the different types of hardwood floors on the market today to see which is best for your needs.
Hardwood floors are a long-lasting product known for both their natural beauty and also durability. In addition, they are affordable, easy to keep up, good for the environment, and also healthier for you than some flooring.
Adding Value
Not only are hardwood floors affordable, but they can also add value to your home if you are trying to sell it. In fact, as your home increases in value, so does the floor. A professionally installed hardwood floor is very sought after in a buyers market, as well as in home remodeling and new construction.
Maintaining Your Floor
A hardwood floor can be very easy to maintain. Routine maintenance may be little more than just the sweeping and vacuuming that you are used to, especially since you have to make sure to protect it from moisture and also heavy traffic areas that may become scratched. Maintenance is as simple as using an area rug where traffic is heaviest, and/or floor protectors on all furniture. The use of a hardwood floor cleaner is key to making sure it stays as beautiful as the day it was installed.
Environmentally Sound and Healthy For You
You may not know this, but a hardwood floor is known to be ecologically sound. They come from sustainable, natural resources, unlike in the past where wood was cut down without any though to what could happen in the long run to the forest. Today, the timber used in a hardwood floor is cut from forests that are managed in a way to ensure resources for future use. According to statistics from the U.S. Forest Service, just about twice the amount of hardwood timber is put in each year when new growth is harvested.
The EPA, or environmental protection agency, has stated that the quality of your indoor air can be a top threat. But, a hardwood floor can help you to maintain a healthier living environment.
Hardwood floors do not harbor such things as dust mites or mold. This helps to create a better quality of air in your home, alleviating symptoms for those who suffer from different types of allergies.
Also, hardwood floors can help to avoid the accumulation any artificial substances, such as pesticides. A study recently conducted by the EPA found that pesticides used in both homes and gardens can accumulate on surfaces such as floors, but hardwood floors can reduce that.
Selection and Variety
The selection/variety of hardwood floors is great and choosing one can be tough. There are many types of species, colors, and grains to choose from. Today's manufacturing technology allows for different stains and finishes, sizes, styles, and colors. Although red oak natural and maple natural are the most popular, darker colors are great for formal interiors and lighter colors are great for a more casual look.
Make sure you choose a hardwood floor that not only compliments your home and décor, but you will also be happy with for a long time.
3 Basic Methods of Installing Hardwood Floors:
Nail Down
This is generally the best installation method if your subfloor is 3/4" thick plywood, or wood planks over joists. This is usually the most economical installation technique. This installation method is most commonly used for Solid Wood Flooring. Here is more info about the nail down method.
Glue Down
Recent developments in adhesive technology now make gluing down solid 3/4" solid wood flooring to concrete slab feasible. Engineered flooring can be glued directly to the slab as well. Certain other types of flooring, such as 5/16" thick parquet, should be glued down even if the subfloor is wood. More about glue down flooring.
Floating
Floating floors encompass a variety of engineered or laminated products. These products are very dimensionally stable, and are therefore suitable for installation in areas below grade. Engineered flooring systems such as Boen, Kahrs, Harris Tarkett, and many others, are typically made of 3 or more thin layers of plywood running in opposite directions, the top layer being a 1/32" to 1/8" thick veneer. Learn more about installing a floating floor.