Monday, November 24, 2014

Basic Facts About Hardwood Floors Utah Customers Should Be Aware Of

By Ida Dorsey


The timeless elegance of a wood floor automatically adds value and beauty to any room. Proven to stand up over time with proper care, this type of floor is relatively easy to maintain and comes in many styles, colors, and textures. When in the market for hardwood floors Utah homeowners in Salt Lake City should keep these guidelines in mind.

There are two categories of hardwood flooring, solid and engineered. They differ in the way in which they are manufactured. Solid wood floors are milled directly from cut lumber, whereas engineered wood combines a hardwood top layer with several underlying layers of plywood. Both can be sanded and refinished if desired and are built to last, but moisture-resistant engineered wood is a better choice for rooms where dampness may be present such as basements or washrooms.

Both types of flooring can be made using the wood from many different species of trees. The lighter-hued maple and birch are characterized by darker grain lines and a smooth texture, they brighten and add space to a room and give it a clean, modern look. The sturdy hardness of bamboo permits it to be sold as a wood floor, even though it is in fact a grass, and it is found in both reddish and light brown shades.

Evergreen tree species such as hemlock, fir, and pine produce "softwoods" which are known for their light-colored, rustic charm which is a popular choice for cottages or country-style rooms. Slightly lighter in color than oak, ash wood has superior strength, which makes it well-suited to floors which receive a lot of foot-traffic.

Oak is a commonly selected choice of flooring for many homes and it has a traditional elegance to it that can set off any room it's used in. A brownish wood, oak can have either white or red undertones to it. Walnut wood is a rich brown, that often lightens with age, and cherry wood has a reddish-brown color that gets deeper over the years.

Not all hardwood flooring consists of the standard plank style, some are formed into tiles. The parquet tile is made from narrow strips of wood joined together to form a pattern of squares that are made up of alternating line sequences. Tiles made of cork oak wood are engineered for ultimate comfort and are also resistant to moisture.

The width of the flooring boards also influences the overall appearance of the wood floor, as does the texture, which is sometimes available in varieties such as wire-brushed or distressed. It's best to select wood that has a defect rate of less than 50 percent, or it may be necessary to buy more. The grade is determined by how many irregularities or character marks the wood has, that which has more is termed cabin or millwood, while that which has less is select or clear.

Wood flooring is typically sold pre-finished with a protective polyurethane finish. These finishes are usually either semi-gloss or satin, which provide high and medium shine respectively or matte, which is less shiny and a more practical choice for areas that are heavily walked across.




About the Author:



1 comment:

  1. Nice article to know about this vital information on hardwood flooring. I wasn't aware of these before reading this content. Thanks for the article. I have to renovate the floors of my home and at first, I want to start with the bedroom. I am interested in wood flooring and now I have decided to call an expert for the installation of hardwood flooring in Utah.

    ReplyDelete