A solid wood floor can add warm tones and a stunning finish to any room. Constructed with pieces of solid wood they have tongue and groove sides so they can be easily connected together. Each piece has a different grain which combines to form a unique look whenever it is used. There is a huge variety of solid wood floors available with many types of wood species, colours and widths available at hardwood flooring suppliers.
The most popular option is oak wood flooring. Europe and America are both the main consumer and producer of this type of hardwood flooring. Oak is available in various types including red, white and European oak, each with their own hardness, grain and colour characteristics.
A cherry wood floor is another popular choice due to its striking grain markings and solid composition. Like other wood floors it is highly resistant to damage. Over time cherry wood flooring darkens from a pale pink colour to warm dark red tone
Exotic hardwoods can give a room a unique look are now readily available at major hardwood flooring suppliers. They can be found for sale alongside other classic real wood flooring such as maple, oak and ash. Real wood flooring can be purchased in pre-finished or unfinished styles. When laying unfinished wood flooring the product can be recoated many times to increase its life and make it last considerably longer than other flooring options.
When laying solid wood floors, begin with a flat, dry and solid sub floor such as concrete, wood or cork. Carpet is not suitable as a sub base and must be removed. Any deviations in level should be rectified with suitable floor filler. A plastic barrier to stop moisture is recommended for floors that are being installed on concrete or in damp areas. Harwood flooring should also be allowed time to acclimatise before it is set down by leaving it the room for several days.
If you are using a wood floor sub base the solid wood floor should be installed at right angles to the original floorboards to aid strength and stability. An expansion area around the perimeter of the room is also recommended to allow for contractions and expansions throughout the winter and summer months. This expansion gap can be covered with skirting boards or a cover strip.
Solid wood floors are tough and hard wearing and by taking care of them their life can be prolonged. Keep gravel, dirt and grit at bay by using a doormat outside and inside the front door. Regular sweeping and vacuuming will take care of any dirt that does settle on the floor and will reduce scratches and everyday wear and tear. Avoid wearing stiletto heels on solid wood floors and if possible only wear indoor shoes or slippers on its surface.
Nothing comes close to the finish that can be achieved with a solid wood floor. By installing solid wood flooring the value of a home often increases and it can give a home the edge over similar property on the market. Solid wood floors are stain resistant and do not trap dust so are especially good for allergy sufferers. There is a wide range of tones, styles and prices on the market so whether you are looking for a cheap wood floor or the ultimate in hardwood flooring, you are sure to find the right match for your room.
Archive for the ‘Home Improvement’ Category
Solid Wood Floors in the Home
Sunday, July 4th, 2010Wood Flooring – Everything You Need To Know
Friday, July 2nd, 2010The elegant look of a hardwood floor can add warmth and character to any room in a home. The natural characteristics of wood add depth and a visual appearance that many other types of floors try to duplicate. With the demand for hardwood flooring growing manufacturer’s are enhancing their ranges to meet this demand, with better quality finishes and superior construction techniques.
Hardwood floors come in a wide variety of wood species, colours and widths. Besides the classic hardwoods (like red oak, white oak, maple and ash) many manufacturers now offer exotic hardwood species from all over the World. Exotic hardwoods give homeowners the chance to better express their own personal decorating tastes with a more unique looking floor. With so many different types of hardwood flooring now available it is sometime hard to choice which is best suited to you.
Different Types of Wood Flooring
Solid wooden floors are one solid piece of wood that have tongue and groove sides and come in either pre-finished or unfinished styles. Solid wood floors are sensitive to moisture and it is not recommended to install these floors below ground level, or directly over a concrete slab. These floors are for nail-down installations only. You can refinish, or recoat solid wood floors several times, which adds to their appeal and to their long life. There are solid floors that are over 100 years old and are still in good condition.
All solid wood floors will react to the presence of moisture. In the winter heating months, moisture leaves the wood causing the floor to contract which leaves unsightly gaps between each plank. In the summer months when the humidity is higher the wood will expand and the gaps will disappear. If there is too much moisture it may cause the wood planks to cup, or buckle. This is why it is important when installing a solid strip floor to leave the proper expansion area around the perimeter and to acclimatize the wood prior to installation.
Engineered wood floors – These floors are constructed from several wood plies that are glued together. The centre core is generally a softer wood material and is used to make the tongue and groove. A hardwood finish layer is glued on top of the centre core and another softer wood ply is attached underneath the core. This top ply is also called the finish layer and can be constructed of almost any wood specie.
Wood always wants to expand in a certain direction. In the presence of moisture solid wood planks will always expand across the width of the planks, rather than down the length of the boards. To avoid this problem, manufacturers of engineered planks place each ply in the opposite direction of each other. This is called cross-ply construction. Once the wood layers are glued together the plies will counteract each other which will stop the plank from growing or shrinking with changes in the humidity. Engineered wood floors are designed for the floating installation and can be glued together or some now come with a click system.
Veneer wood floors are very similar to laminate floors. The only difference is that with a veneer flooring to top wear layer is a thin piece or real hardwood instead of a photographic image as in laminates. Veneer flooring is usually around 8mm in thickness with the top hardwood layer being around 0.7mm. Advantages of a veneer floors are that they are fast and easy to install and you have a real hardwood floor.
Factory Pre-finished Wood Flooring
Most factory finished hardwood floors have several coats of finish applied to the wood’s surface. As example, many wood floor companies are applying 6-10 coats of a ultra-violet (UV) cured urethane. This would be extremely difficult for someone to duplicate on a job site finish, not to mention how many days it would take. This is one of the reasons why many flooring mechanics, flooring retailers, and builders are pushing pre-finished hardwood floors. Instead of taking several days to install and finish a new hardwood floor a pre-finished hardwood floor is generally done in one day.
The most common finishes are:
UV-cured – Factory finishes that are cured with Ultra Violet lights versus heat.
Polyurethane – A clear, tough and durable finish that is applied as a wear layer.
Acrylic-urethane – A slightly different chemical make up than Polyurethane with the same benefits.
Aluminium Oxide – Added to the urethane finish for increased abrasion resistance of the wear layer, which is becoming extremely popular on the better grade wood floors.
Acrylic Impregnated – Acrylic monomers are injected into the cell structure of the wood to give increased hardness and then finished with a wear layer over the wood.
Unfinished Wood Flooring
If you want a custom stained hardwood floor, or a wood floor to match existing trim than a unfinished hardwood floor is your answer. Unfinished means you start with a bare hardwood floor and than the floor is sanded, stained, and finished in the home. This can be quite a mess and the process does take several days, but your floor will have a finish to you requirements.
Installation Options
Nail Down – Secret nails are used with a wood flooring nailer and mallet to attach the flooring to the sub floor. Solid Strip floors or Plank floors can only be installed on wooden sub-floors or on batons.
Glue Down – Engineered wood floors and parquets can be glued down. This is when you spread the recommended glue all over the sub floor and lay the flooring into the glue.
Floating – This is when a thin underlay is placed between the wood flooring and the sub floor. A recommended wood glue is then applied in the tongue and groove of each plank to hold the planks together. Engineered
Wood Kitchen Tables – They Make A House Feel Like A Home
Sunday, June 27th, 2010So you’re moving into your first place. Decorating ideas are swimming in your head. From animal prints in the living room to a bathroom with Asian allure. But before you get carried way you need to have a few essentials like some chairs, a coffee table and a kitchen table.
You can find fine wood kitchen tables anywhere from your local furniture stores to flea markets to the internet. Maybe you want something that is used and lived in for a vintage casual look or maybe you want something shiny and new with straight lines and a rich cherry finish? No matter what style of table you are looking for you need to make sure it fits in your room.
In traditional houses kitchens were just where you cooked. Today they’re where you live so choose a table accordingly. Maybe you want a high wooden table that can double as a workspace. Or perhaps a white, round table will throw some curves and light into your space. You could try a hexagon table with a flip top that is smooth wood for eating on one side and felt-covered and poker ready on the other. You can share a pizza with friends and then flip the top over for a friendly game of Texas Hold’em. The table comes complete with chip and drink holders.
You might find a larger selection of wood kitchen tables and great prices online compared to your local brick and mortar stores, but you never know what treasures you’ll find at swap meets and flea markets. You’ll find anything from cherry Victorian era tables to retro boomerang tables by Heywood Wakefield or Eames. With a little cleaning and a lot of love you’ll have a wood kitchen table that is as unique as you are.
So whether you want a golden oak finished table or a rich cherry one or even a mahogany one with a glass top you’ll love the strength and durability of it. Every kitchen needs a table to share a drink or meal with friends, to play games with family, to work on and even fold laundry on. Yes wood kitchen tables will get a lot of use, but they are built to stand up to it. Whether you choose a shabby chic faded blue table or a sleek black one you’ll love the feeling of home it lends to your new place.
As you fill your new home with plush sofas and brightly painted antique chairs it will gradually reflect you and tell your story. Everything you put in your home shows off your personal style from the towels in the bathroom to the plates in your cabinets, but nothing will get more use and gather your friends and family around like a wood kitchen table. Hot hues for paint and linens come and go, but the strength and enduring charm of wood kitchen tables never fade. No matter where you shop for and find your new kitchen table, make sure it is a piece that speaks to you, that meets your needs, that you love. It will love you back.