How is hardwood flooring sold

During their growth cycle, trees produce oxygen. So whatever its end use — as flooring, cabinets, even picture frames — wood continues to sequester carbon during its entire service life.

Helping consumers understand the many environmental benefits of wood flooring can lead them to choosing more wood for their flooring projects, while helping them to understand grade and performance issues can help establish realistic expectations that will result in happy customers and increased sales.

Your email address will not be published. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. For Members For Consumers Subscribe. Publishing Partners. Most floors only need sweeping and vacuuming, with the occasional mopping with a special wood cleaner to treat stains.

Just avoid using water or steam to clean wood floors. However, hardwood flooring is better for long-term maintenance because it can be sanded down and refinished several times over its lifespan to look as good as new.

Engineered Wood Flooring Like hardwood, engineered wood flooring only needs sweeping and vacuuming to stay clean. Occasionally mopping it with wood cleaner can help prevent stains and revitalize the top layer.

In most cases, they can be refinished once or twice before the hardwood layer is exhausted and you need to repair the planks. Hardwood Flooring Hardwood flooring has a significantly longer lifespan than most types of floorings available.

Hardwood flooring can last anywhere between 30 to years with the proper maintenance and care. This is why we still see some houses with hardwood floors from the s. Hardwood Flooring Out of the many types of flooring in the market, hardwood is among the most expensive ones.

Engineered Wood Flooring On the other hand, engineered wood flooring is a more budget-friendly flooring option. Hardwood Flooring The majority of hardwood floors are nailed down to the sub-floor. Another common installation method is using tongue-and-groove planks to join the planks together.

Hardwood flooring needs to be attached to a subfloor, usually plywood. This installation method uses tongue-and-groove boards that lock together like Legos to create a tight seam. The system floats over the sub-floor, often made of foam or cork. Hardwood Flooring When it comes to water and the environment, hardwood flooring is more sensitive than other flooring options. Hardwood is not recommended for installations where humidity or moisture can go through because it causes swelling and warping.

Because plywood construction is more stable, this flooring is less susceptible to warping and swelling. However, some engineered wood flooring can include a protective layer over the hardwood veneer to protect even more against water spills and water damage. Overall, both hardwood and engineered wood flooring have the same resistance to heat.

Although, neither material is recommended for wet locations such as bathrooms and basements. Hardwood Flooring When it comes to selling your house, hardwood flooring is often considered a premium add-on that can increase the resale value. The longevity benefit of hardwood flooring and the premium quality are often a selling point for potential homebuyers.

On average, installing hardwood floorings can boost the price of your home by as much as 2. However, it might not increase the value of a property as hardwood flooring would.

No data is supporting the idea that engineered wood flooring provides higher resale value to a house. In many aspects, hardwood and engineered wood floors can be used interchangeably in most homes.

Both flooring options have more similarities than differences, making it a personal decision. Engineered wood flooring is a better choice in high-moisture environments than solid hardwood, making it a better option for kitchens, bathrooms and basements. But, for whole-house installations, both flooring options offer a wide range of style choices. The harder the wood flooring, the longer it will take to install. Exotic hardwoods, like teak and Brazilian walnut, have a longer installation time than softer woods, like pine.

Angled and intricate patterns such as herringbone require more cuts and result in more flooring material waste, which drives up the cost. Complex room layouts or rooms with counters will require more installation time and will raise the hardwood flooring cost.

If there is extensive rot, moisture, or insect damage, the floor joists may need to be reinforced. To extend the durability of wood flooring, add a coating of a protective seal called a finish. Finishes are typically made from polyurethanes or prefinished UV-cured urethane, oils, or oil hybrids. Finishes applied and cured in a factory are usually more durable than ones applied after installation.

The big bonus of using prefinished wood flooring is you can walk on the flooring directly after installation without having to wait for the coats of finish to dry. Wood-look tile is tile flooring that has the appearance of wood.

Hardwood flooring costs can vary due to the type of wood used in the floorboards. Each type has different ranges in color and price. Renowned for their rich tones and durability, exotic woods and wood from tropical areas are more expensive than the more budget-friendly domestic woods. To help guide your decision, here are some of the most commonly used hardwood species. Maple is dent resistant and good for high-traffic areas. It can range in color from white to pale red. The color can run from pale yellow to green.

It can range in color from soft, light tan to pale gray, with either visible knots or a clear grade without color variations or imperfections. It has notable color variation and is hard and durable. Hickory is a great option for high-traffic areas. It has a reddish, tightly visible grain and is exceptionally durable. Red oak flooring is known for creating a warm and welcome ambiance in any room.

White oak has a minimal smooth grain and lends itself to more modern home decor. Cypress is a relatively soft wood that will take on a distressed and aged look when used in high-traffic areas. It has an arching, swirling grain and is honey-gold in color. The elegant beauty of hardwood floors can give way to noticeable wear and tear over the years. One of the benefits of having hardwood floors is that they can be sanded and refinished multiple times, but how many times are too many?

Too much sanding will result in thin and weak floorboards that will potentially crack. Moving furniture, daily wear and tear, and pets can cause scratches in wood flooring. If the wood flooring has chips and scrapes that penetrate deep into the wood, the flooring becomes susceptible to water damage due to the missing coating or varnish.

Worn stain can lead to more serious issues such as splintered or warped wood, both of which call for a replacement. Water damage is a common concern for homeowners with hardwood flooring. Engineered wood flooring is more resistant to water damage than solid hardwood. Both types of flooring can stain and warp if exposed to significant amounts of water due to plumbing issues or flooding.

Water damage can cause floorboards to warp, rot, and separate. Significant water damage is one of the main signs that wood flooring needs to be replaced. Exposed nails that poke through the top of the flooring can cause pain and injury if you or a family member step on them.

Nails usually pop up in high-traffic areas where the chances of stepping on one or stubbing a toe are high. If there are many exposed nails over a wide area of flooring, it may be time to look into hardwood flooring replacement. The color of wood flooring may change over time due to sun exposure or water damage.

Superficial discoloration can be fixed with refinishing, but gray or very dark stains may be a sign water has damaged the structure of the wood and the flooring needs to be replaced. Creaking floorboards usually mean the wood is rubbing against the subfloor or itself. Creaking can be a sign the structural integrity of the wood flooring is compromised and weak. Wooden floorboards that bend or creak can signal water damage or a shifting foundation.