Quick and Dirty Guide to Wood Flooring

If you've always longed for hardwood floors, you're in good company. While soft wooden floors date back to the Colonial era, hardwood floors first burst on the scene in the late 17th century. If you only know that you want hardwood floors gracing your home, read this quick and dirty guide so that your head won't spin when you talk with your contractor. This ten-minute read will guide you through the basics of wood species, grades, types and styles.

Wood Species

With over 50 wood species available for wood flooring, red oak accounts for more than 50% of hard wood flooring sales. Its popularity stems from its elegance, durability and cost-effectiveness. Maple ranks second in popularity for new wood flooring. Newer trends indicate a growing appetite for bamboo, cherry, and white oak. Some of the more esoteric imported woods used in hardwood floors include Brazilian cherry, Australian cypress, African padauk, and Burmese teak.

Color options are plentiful. If color is a priority, and you want the natural beauty of the wood to shine through, select a wood species that most closely matches your color preference.

Wood Grades

Grade refers only to the beauty of the wood, not to its durability or serviceability. Not every grade applies to every wood species. A wood species is graded as Clear, Select or Common, or it is graded as First, Second or Third. Clear/First, Select/Second, Common/Third grades are not identical, but they are close enough to present a shared consumer definition. The six basic wood grades include:

-Clear or First ? free from most visible defects and discoloration, contains only minor visible imperfections

-Select or Second ? may contain slight imperfections, such as color variations

-Common or Third ? contains knots and color variations, often classified as "rustic" wood

Solid vs. Engineered Wood

Many people believe that hardwood and solid wood are synonymous. They're not. If you're hearing the term engineered wood for the first time, you most likely think that it is somehow inferior to solid wood. That's not necessarily true.

Solid wood is milled from one solid ¾" piece of wood. Solid hardwood floors expand and contract more than engineered woods and are particularly susceptible to moisture. As the wood expands and contracts, it may buckle or it may leave gaps. Two common methods of counteracting these gaps include beveled edges and leaving expansion gaps-gaps between the wood and the wall-hidden by the base molding.

You'll find most of the popular wood species, such as oak, maple, cherry and others available in engineered wood. Sometimes called pressed wood, engineered wood comes in 3-ply or 5-ply versions-three or five bonded layers of wood. Engineered wood floors succumb to little, if any expansion and contraction and are perfectly suited for rooms susceptible to moisture. If you want wood floors in the bathroom, the kitchen or in any room where moisture accumulates, consider engineered wood for its greater stability. If you plan to lay a wood floor directly over concrete, you must install engineered wood to maintain structural integrity.

Wood Styles

Once you've determined the species, wood grade and decided between solid and engineered wood, you can move on to the fun stuff-the style. Common wood styles include:

-Parquet

-Plank

-Strip

Strips and planks are long, linear cuts of woods. The main difference is the width of the wood. Strips range from widths of 1 ½" to 2 ¼", while planks range from widths of 3" to 8". Consider strips if your goal is to create the illusion of a larger room. Series of small wood pieces create parquet's geometrical design. Parquet floors complement large, airy rooms.

Select your hardwood floors with care; they can add beauty and warmth to your surroundings for a very long time, even a lifetime.

M J Plaster is a successful author who provides information on shopping online for wood flooring and bamboo flooring. M J Plaster has been a commercial freelance writer for almost two decades, most recently specializing in home and garden, the low-carb lifestyle, investing, and anything that defines la dolce vita.

---

How To Give Your Home More Space

Have you been wondering how to free up space in your home? Do you live in a dorm or an efficiency where every inch of space counts?Maybe... Read More

What Are Light Fixtures Used For?

Light fixtures are something not many of us think about. But, the way we light a room can cause us to feel a certain way or enhance... Read More

Removing Old Aluminum Windows

This week we are going to talk about the process of actually removing your aluminum windows in preparation for installing vinyl replacement windows. Let's start with a... Read More

Planning Your In-Wall Speaker System

So you've finally decided to get your favorite music throughout your house. What's next? Where do you go from here? That depends upon your requirements and weather... Read More

Homeowners ? Here is a Step by Step Guide to Help You Hire a Quality Home Improvement Contractor

Before talking to any contractors the first thing to do is create a budget for the project. Without a budget you will be flying blind and may... Read More

Flooring: Installing Ceramic Tile

Ceramic Tile brings a texture, richness and color to a room that Linoleum has yet to truly mimic. Tile floors can be installed in any room, however... Read More

Clearing the Air on What to Look for in an Air Purifier

If you are dedicated to improving the indoor air quality of your home, you're aware that there are certain steps you need to take to reduce the... Read More

How To Buy A Conservatory In The UK

The first question is, what is a conservatory?There is no standard definition of what constitutes a conservatory (apart from "greenhouse"). This is one reason why quotes vary... Read More

Decorating Ideas to Make Your Living Room more Livable

Above all else, the furniture in the living-room should make it livable. It should be grouped so that it offers centers of interest, convenience and comfort. Look... Read More

Sliding Glass Door Replacement

This article is going to be about replacing an old sliding glass door with a modern Vinyl frame sliding glass door. If you currently have french doors... Read More

An Interview with Design Psychology Expert Jeanette Fisher

Interview with Jeanette Fisher by Gary Anderson, of www.abciowa.comGA: Jeanette, just what is Design Psychology?JJF: Simply put, Design Psychology empowers you to create a fabulous... Read More

Different Materials Used for Roofing and Determining the Cost of Each One

There is never a structure you will find that lacks a roof; it is an essential part of the house or building. It plays a very important... Read More

What Are The Benefits of Radiant Heating: How Do They Compare With Other Heating Applications

Some of the benefits of radiant heatComfort: Let your bare feet soak up the warmth of soothing heat without the dust and noise associated with other heating... Read More

The Science of Architecture

You're told to take vitamins, drink plenty of water, get a good night's sleep and exercise, but has anyone ever told you that the design of your... Read More

Your Shower Door Can Have A Huge Impact On The Look And Feel Of Your Bathroom!

These days shower doors come in a wide variety of styles and designs. It's worth putting some thought into finding one that both suits your needs and... Read More

Spring Chores at the Cabin

Whether you live in your cabin year round or it's been closed up for the winter, it's time for spring cleaning. It's hard to get motivated. We'd... Read More

Styles And Varieties Of Locking Mailboxes For Sale

Locking mailboxes made from durable, weatherproof materials are highly desirable due to the built in safety features and the long-lasting exterior. Your mail will arrive safely and... Read More

How To Choose Wall Mount Outdoor Mailboxes

Sturdy wallmount outdoor mailboxes are no longer available in just standard sizes and colors. You can find a wide assortment of wall mount outdoor mailboxes for the... Read More

Beautiful, Elegant Bathtubs that Spruce Up any Bathroom

Bathtubs have become an important necessity of our daily life for many reasons. Who hasn't enjoyed the comfort of soaking in a nice, hot tub at the... Read More

Your Home is Your Symphony

"Dr. Carl Sagan once wrote, "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." Although Dr. Sagan was commenting on the wonders to be found in the vastness... Read More

Remedies for a Wet Basement

A wet basement can be just a nuisance or even real nightmare. Each year, thousands of homeowners are faced with the unpleasant side effects of seasonal rainfall.... Read More

5 Reasons to Make Early Spring Firewood Time at Your Home

As the weather hints of warmth and the spring buds appear on trees, firewood may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But early spring... Read More

The Ten Most Important Feng Shui Design Tips

If you wish to learn how to manage interior design according to feng shui design guidelines, there are some major tips you must know. We wish to... Read More

Things to Consider when Buying a Hot Tub or Jacuzzi Tub

We recently purchased a new Hot Tub and Gazebo from Cal Spas in Minnesota. The purchase was not something we planned, just something that caught our eye... Read More

How To Choose The Perfect Granite Work Surface

My Grandmother used to say to me "Nothing cheap is good and nothing good is cheap". This ring true when dealing with the purchase especially on the... Read More

Are Your Ducts Making You Sick?

If you have a heating or cooling systems that uses air ducts, you could have a problem.There are many duct systems that are poorly designed and installed... Read More