Different finishes and edging can also help to make your wood floor truly unique. Please consider the actual use that you expect the floor to withstand – if you do have a dog that goes bonkers every time somebody comes to the front door and scratches the boards this needs to be considered.
Hardwood vs. Carpet
Carpeting is more economical, right? Actually, carpeting lasts between seven and ten years under normal residential use. Hardwood floors can last a lifetime and are always in style. Here's a comparison test you can use when trying to decide between carpeting or wood flooring. Say you installed a hardwood floor. It would typically last for 30 years. During that same period you probably would have to install new carpeting four or five times. At that rate, the hardwood flooring actually costs less than the cumulative cost of all the carpeting you would have to install.
Another thing you need to consider is the cleanliness of your home. A large company that recycles old carpeting has stated that most used carpeting it receives for processing contains at least 35% of its weight in household dirt. The families who owned this old carpeting were actually walking, or crawling on dirt.
Hardwood flooring is simply cleaner. If it is dirty, the dirt is plainly visible to the eye, not hidden within carpet fibers. Hardwood flooring may be your best buy and most solid investment.
Another thing you need to consider is the cleanliness of your home. A large company that recycles old carpeting has stated that most used carpeting it receives for processing contains at least 35% of its weight in household dirt. The families who owned this old carpeting were actually walking, or crawling on dirt.
Hardwood flooring is simply cleaner. If it is dirty, the dirt is plainly visible to the eye, not hidden within carpet fibers. Hardwood flooring may be your best buy and most solid investment.
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Type of Hardwood Floors
Solid hardwood is one solid piece of wood that has tongue and groove sides. Solid hardwood floors are available in either prefinished or site-finished.
Site-finished hardwood means that you begin with a bare hardwood floor and then the floor is sanded, stained, and finished in the home.
Pre-finished hardwood has several coats of wood finish applied to the surface. Most hardwood floor manufacturers are applying 6-10 coats of a ultra-violet (UV) cured urethane. These finishes remain on the surface of the hardwood and form a protective coating.
Engineered hardwood is real wood, but instead of one solid piece it consists of 3 to 10 thin layers of wood, called plies, that are assembled and glued in a cross-ply construction.
Exotic Hardwood Floors give homeowners the chance to better express their own personal decorating tastes with a more unique looking floor.
Site-finished hardwood means that you begin with a bare hardwood floor and then the floor is sanded, stained, and finished in the home.
Pre-finished hardwood has several coats of wood finish applied to the surface. Most hardwood floor manufacturers are applying 6-10 coats of a ultra-violet (UV) cured urethane. These finishes remain on the surface of the hardwood and form a protective coating.
Engineered hardwood is real wood, but instead of one solid piece it consists of 3 to 10 thin layers of wood, called plies, that are assembled and glued in a cross-ply construction.
Exotic Hardwood Floors give homeowners the chance to better express their own personal decorating tastes with a more unique looking floor.
Wood Grades
Select Grade: No knots or dark marks in the wood. The wood grain is very clear. This is the highest quality wood that is
manufactured today.
#1 Grade: A step down from select. The wood will sometimes have dark marks and slight imperfections in the grain. However many customers believe it adds character to their floor. This is an excellent choice for budget-minded customers.
#2 Grade: The most cost effective wood choice. The wood contains knots and can be inconsistent from board to board. #2 Grade presents a more rustic look that is often favored for a lake house or country home.
We can also install other varieties of traditional woods such as maple, hickory, and pine. We can also install exotic woods such as Brazilian cherry and bamboo.
manufactured today.
#1 Grade: A step down from select. The wood will sometimes have dark marks and slight imperfections in the grain. However many customers believe it adds character to their floor. This is an excellent choice for budget-minded customers.
#2 Grade: The most cost effective wood choice. The wood contains knots and can be inconsistent from board to board. #2 Grade presents a more rustic look that is often favored for a lake house or country home.
We can also install other varieties of traditional woods such as maple, hickory, and pine. We can also install exotic woods such as Brazilian cherry and bamboo.
Hardwood Floor Finishes
We work with both oil-based and water based polyurethane. We can apply any kind of finish-gloss, semi-gloss, satin, matte, etc.at no additional cost to the customer.
We work primarily with Bona stains.
We work primarily with Bona stains.