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Hardwood Flooring
is probably the most practical of all flooring materials. It is a natural resource so it qualifies as a top ranker in home décor. Though
these floors started out using only wood, there have been much "Greener" materials discovered. They appear natural and some are even more
sturdy and reliable than classic wood.
Hardwood has become one of the most popular types of flooring in recent years. From its several types of wood and material to its variety of designs, colors, and stability.
It's GREEN to install a these new types of flooring that reduce the need to cut down trees!
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 Refinished & Prefinished Hardwood Floors.
It's often said that the modern laminate hardwood floor look-a-likes are almost as good as the Real McCoy, and to be honest they have come a long way,
but Hardwood Floors they are most definitely not! Even though hardwood floors are not cheap, they are gorgeous and will last a lifetime if well maintained.
It's said that wooden floors are so much more hygienic than carpets, but one of the biggest complaints is that they're much harder to keep clean than other surfaces.
This goes for cheap wood floors and laminates too. Actually this is a myth and the reason behind it is usually because folks haven't been told by the manufactures
how to clean their products quickly and easily. The so called laminate hardwood floor falls under the category of discount wood flooring. Laminate flooring is
known in the business as a hybrid surface, which is a mixture and fusion of various materials to give the appearance of real woods. On its own, a laminate floor
looks fine, but place it next to genuine hardwoods that have such a diversity of grain and a multitude of hues, then the difference in look, feel, and appeal will
make the Laminate Vs Hardwood a nonstarter in everything but cost. So beautiful is the natural wood floor, that folks who have them often go to painstaking lengths
just to restore an old, tired, or damaged surface rather than replace it with cheap imitations. Wood floor repair is no picnic that's for sure, as anyone who's made
an attempt at hardwood refinish will tell you. However, they will also go on to say that refinishing wood floors is worth all the time, money, and effort that it entails.
Okay, so sanding hardwood floors can be back breaking, dirty work, but this laborious task is necessary part of the restoration work, and the alterative of purchasing a
quality prefinished hardwood floor, helps with the incentive.
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SOLID HARDWOOD FLOORING —
Separated into two kinds: Exotics
&
Domestics
Exotics
come several types of fancy wood such as Brazilian Cherry, Bolivian
Rosewood, Golden Teak, and much more!
Domestics
are usually the standard Red Oak, Birch, Hickory, etc.
Exotics and Domestics are both available in different thickness & widths.
ENGINEERED FLOORING—
These floors are scientifically designed that appears and acts as real
wood, however, are less effected from moisture and temperature change.
They do not expand and contract in hot or cold temperatures which reduces
creaking and loosening of the mounting.
LAMINATE FLOORING—
This type of flooring
appears to be wood but is not at all. The flooring is actually an image
that is applied to it and then coated with an aluminum oxide to protect
the surface. They come in all the classic domestic looks, such as beech,
oak, maple, cherry, or walnut.
Save money and the Environment! Not only are these floors affordable,
durable, and long-lasting, but less trees are being used for real wood.
The installation is fast and easy- no need for messy glues or adhesives
and it can be mounted on ANY kind of sub-floor!
ECO-FRIENDLY FLOORING—
Yes, you can still have beautiful hardwood flooring without affecting the
environment. The two sources for these floors are Cork & Bamboo. These
products regrow from the same plant after harvesting, therefore, these
materials are renewable and not damaging the eco-system.
Bamboo is twice are hard as oak wood. It's very durable and can handle a
lot of foot traffic, active kids, and pets. Available in an assortment of
different colors and is finished with a high-quality coating to keep the
floor looking new for decades!
Cork has very good insulating abilities, as well as being very durable and
resilient.
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Mounting Mechanisms
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a proper sub-floor is necessary for
effective mounting. It must be a flat surface to decrease instability and
warping.
There are 3 main ways to
mount your floor~ Gluing,
Nailing/Stapling, or Floating |
Glue~
Before installation, it's important that you choose the
right glue based on the sub-floor to be mounted on. A suggestion for a
good glue is a water-proof adhesive. This reduces moisture vapor
transmission, and has good bonding strength and flexibility. Glue is
generally used to mount onto concrete floors and rarely used on Solid wood
flooring, mostly for engineered flooring. Fortunately, adhesives are no
longer toxic and mostly eco-friendly. The 3 main adhesives are
water-based, urethane based, and acrylic.
Nails/Staples~
A nail/staple gun uses air-pressure from a connected
compressor to force the nails/staples into the floor. Nails may loosen
over time if they don't have a grip on a proper sub-floor. Also, staples
may secure the floor too tight which can create a squeaky floor.
Float~
It is the quickest installation process of all. A floating
floor isn't nailed down, rather it's either glued or snapped together.
Which this procedure, you can mount a floor on any material such as,
concrete, sheet vinyl, ceramic tile, and plywood. The best choice of wood
for this process is engineered since it is very stable.
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 Types of Molding
Quarter Round~ used to blend the wall base and the flooring. Also
good for around cabinets.
Stair Nosing~ used to blend the step of a staircase with the
floor.
Reducer~
used to transition from one surface to another one.
i.e. hardwood to carpet
Threshold~
used in doorways to transition the different floors
in each room.
Base Shoe~
same as the quarter round, but it's used in limited
spaces.
Baseboard~
a thin piece of wood that is glued up against the wall
and is flush with the floor. |
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Contractors Solutions Inc. 610-789-0354
Call
us for an online estimate,
for hardwood flooring installations -
for neighborhoods
surrounding Philadelphia & Delaware County, PA. Broomall
Expert Consultation for Flooring!
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