Oak flooring is the most popular hardwood in North America, due to its hardness (which translates to durability), availability, and affordability. A distressed oak will look quite a bit different than a factory new oak, so you may want to decide which look you’re going for before you start to shop. Oak flooring is know for its high permeability which makes it easier to stain and as a result oak flooring can be purchased in a variety of colors to suit any room in your home. Oak flooring is not real stable and is subject to a considerable amount of movement due to the changing humidity level in the house. You may experience buckling or cupping if installing hardwood on top of existing hardwood.

Oak flooring is most versatile because it takes stains most evenly. If you choose an oak floor you can stain it anywhere from white to black and any brown in between. Oak flooring is a great choice for your den, bedroom or just a family room. Oak Flooring is renowned for its durability, and resistance to both insect and fungal attacks. Once cut, oak has an attractive grain which makes it ideal for flooring.

Pre-finished oak flooring is merely oak flooring that has been sanded and stained at the flooring mill prior to importation. All of the flooring in issue is tongued and grooved on all four sides. Pre-finished antique oak flooring can be chosen for its durability because the surface has been treated and protected with polyurethane. It can be fixed on top of the existing floor – similar to a laminated floor floating on top of a sub-floor.

When setting up the flooring of formal rooms like offices or parlors you may stain the white oak floors dark. This way you will be getting custom-colored white oak flooring installed. Aged wood flooring adds style to any part of the house, especially in older properties. Again, because the material is easy to handle and work with, many do-it-your-selfer’s do a quality job.

Red oak for hardwood floors is a dense, beautiful wood that resists wear like no other wood. The color ranges from white cream color to exquisite warm, pale brown tinted with red. Red oak tends to be reddish brown in color. Both are known for their utility across all kinds of applications. Red oak flooring is soft and its grain pattern is open.

Red or white oak are the standard species used. Red and White oak hardwood flooring are very popular, as the red and white oak trees are the most abundant U.S. The qualities of the oak tree make it perfect for carpentry use and Oak hardwood floors are extremely strong and durable. Red Oak is widely used for wood flooring in North America where it is revered for its warm, pink hues and versatility. The tree grows along the entire east coast from the Southern States up into the wilds of Quebec.

Oak flooring can add value to your home, and is a well known thermal insulator. This means that heating your home will cost less. Oak flooring can add such beauty and value to your home. However; it should not be over done and put in too many rooms.

One of the easiest ways to improve the look and value of your home is to fit oak hardwood flooring throughout.

As well as being beautiful and hard wearing, they are environmentally friendly as well. Wood is a natural resource that is both renewable and recyclable. It is warm and resilient to walk on and healthy too. Usually wood flooring will never require replacement. And can add thousands of pounds to the value of a home.

There are many options to choose from. Not just the design of the floor, but the shade and texture as well.

Fitting a real wood floor need not be daunting. With no previous experience and easily hired equipment, a complete novice can install a solid hardwood floor proficiently and with professional results.

Selecting the species and style of wooden flooring that suits your home is of the utmost importance as you may well have the floor for life. A solid wood floor can be purchased pre-finished which means it is ready to use and walk on as soon as it has been installed.

The finish is usually acrylic or polyurethane lacquer, which is durable and hard wearing. However oil finishes are becoming increasingly popular, as people have come to realize the maintenance is easy and straightforward.

Real wooden floors (usually the solid type) are also available unfinished. This means that after installation and a light sanding, a finish such as oil, wax or lacquer can be applied.

The most straightforward way of installing a solid wood floor is by secret nailing (through the tongue) into a base of plywood, flooring grade chipboard, joists or battens. If you have an existing wooden floor, this should first be over boarded with a 6mm plywood sheet to ensure stability of your new flooring. Fitting solid hardwood flooring onto concrete sub-floors is best avoided despite the recent advantages in wood floor adhesive currently on the market.

The styles of solid wood floors available are:

Strip – This is typically between 57mm and 90mm in width and is available in random lengths. This takes a little more time to fit than a wider width, but is ultimately more stable.

Plank – This normally denotes wider widths 120mm up to 200mm width.| This is a wider width than plank flooring. However, always bear in mind that the wider the width, the more the tendency for the floor to shrink and gap, or expand and buckle.

Parquet Flooring – Parquet floors have a very different look from typical hardwoods. It is constructed from short stathes of hardwood assembled by hand into tiles, which are then mounted, on a backing board. Some of these can be installed in a similar fashion to the plank floors

Engineered Hardwoods- solid hardwood wear layer of between 2mm-6mm which is laminated onto either a softwood or plywood core. The advantage of engineered hardwoods is their ease of installation, and their stability. If you desire a very wide plank type look, an engineered plank floor will ensure far less movement than solid wood. However this may cost a little more than buying solid plank.

Engineered hardwoods although suitable for secret nailing, can also be installed ‘free floating’ over an underlay. Another advantage of engineered hardwoods is that most can be used over underfloor heating.

Wood Finishes

The final finish (as opposed to staining) is what protects the wood from staining, wear and moisture. The different types of finishes are as follows:-

Oil-Finish – The most common surface finish, oil is applied in two or three coats. Oil soaks into the wood providing good protection against wear and staining. This can be left as a mat finish or buffed to give a light sheen. The big advantage is that the finish is inherent in the wood- it wont’ scratch off, and can be easily repaired.

A polyurethane lacquer – A good option for the DIY-er, this finish dries quickly and cleans up easily with soap and water. This provides excellent wear protection for the floor and gives a professional finish. Although in high traffic areas may show scratching or marks.

PU Impregnator and Wax. A polyurethane sealer (impregnator) is applied to the wood, which acts as a waterproof barrier. A wax can then be applied by hand and buffed up to achieve a warm patina.

Wood or Laminate?

With the popularity of laminate flooring growing everyday, many people often ask which they should choose, hardwoods or laminate.

Laminate flooring is typically constructed with an HDF core, sandwiched between a melamine laminate backing, high quality photographic paper with an image of wood, stone or other natural flooring, and a melamine laminate top. While laminate floors are inexpensive and durable, they are also noisier to walk on, cold and not as attractive as the ‘real thing’

There are benefits and drawbacks to both hardwoods and laminate flooring. Hardwood floors can be

scratched, but scratches are pretty easy to repair. If a laminate floor is scratched or dents, it is not very easily repaired. Where a hardwood floor can be sanded to remove imperfections, the same cannot be done Laminate flooring companies do make touch-up and chip repair kits as well as offer plank replacement. With hardwoods, though, a simple light sanding may do the trick.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Caring for a wooden floor usually requires little effort. Always try and dry clean the floor, as this is the safest and most efficient method. If you do have to wet clean your floor, bear in mind that leaving a layer of moisture to dry on your floor will leave it looking dull and will soon make it attract more dirt.

Maintaining sheen is important as this prevents dirt adhering to your floor. Always fit protective pads to the base of furniture and install a good door mat at the entrance and you will find that this will eliminate most of the scratches on your new floor.

Wood dash kits are more than an automotive accessory; they are a “second chance” at elegance that only few other options provide. They are also surprisingly affordable, given their far-reaching capability. So if you’ve ever thought that your vehicle needed an upgrade in identity, a suggestive and enduring dash kit may very well be the answer.

More Than Enough Options to Go Around

Thinly layered wood veneers coated with polyurethane make up the bulk of the industry’s finest. These pieces are actually extracted wood, hence the term “real wood veneers.” These real wood veneers are treated and measured to provide a logical level of flexibility. They are then designed, cut, and fit to exact specifications of a certain model’s dash configuration. Other options include synthetic veneers, which are very similar in style and presentation. Some synthetic choices can be limited, depending on manufacturer and vendor. However, a reputable company should offer a wide selection of both real and synthetic, respectively.

For any given model, there are practically dozens of veneers and colors that are available. Most of these selections are referred to as burls (very similar to the type of term referring to wood products such as furniture and etc.). There are veneers that give off a subtle, tasty appeal (Honey Burl, Real Walnut Burl, and Real Rosewood), while many others offer a more striking brand of elegant zest (Real Japanese Cherry Wood, Real Platinum Burl, and Titanium Burl). Some veneers are more popular than others, but almost all of them get some play. Drivers seem to gravitate most towards Real Japanese Cherry Wood. Real Japanese Cherry Wood implemented on certain dashes adds a shockingly attractive dimension. It is a rich, deep grained red that can blend or contrast with most models, and to say that it engages a luxurious look is a severe understatement. I would strongly suggest checking it out the next chance you get.

Wood dash kits don’t always have to hint at the decor of a fine English country club. They can also suggest a sporty appeal along with the added hint of sophistication. This is where real carbon fiber dash kits come in. Real carbon fiber dash kits pay homage to the contemporary climate, featuring an increased accent for those who enjoy a futuristic foreground to compete with their interior spread. Real carbon fiber dash kits are a favorite for the more edgy, high-speed type of drivers normally, but they are beginning to see action in every kind of vehicle. You can find the real carbon fiber look on a variety of dash kits, including Real Blue & Black, Real Light Blue, and Real Silver Wire, but there are many more where those came from.

Solid colors are available as well, and like most dash kit styles, come in a vast selection. You have the requisite red, blue, orange, and yellow – these solids are the preferred choice for drivers who own a racing-inspired car and wish to match a color scheme. But there is also Brushed Aluminum and Real Chrome; with both delivering a sizzling refined image once fitted to the contours of most any dash area. It is their versatility why solid color dash kits are so engaging. Along with real wood veneers (which are considered the class of the field), solids enact their own brand of custom enthusiasm for drivers of diverse automotive tastes.

Finding the Fit

Wood dash kits are not universal. They are crafted to adhere exactly to a certain car or truck’s dash measurements. In turn, dash kits do not come in just one way. Flat dash kits for a long time were the main choice that most drivers got their hands on, and are still an option for a host of vehicles. Flat dash kits (2D) come in pieces that fit over sections of the dash. This is an important note, as many vehicles’ dashes are arranged in right-angled sections in numerous spots. Therefore, one encompassing piece would not logically fit over an entire area. Molded (3D) wood dash kits are a modern pleasure. They still come in pieces – just not nearly as many. Molded dash kits are constructed to fit onto dashes that offer a plethora of curves, contours, and edges. This is crucial.

Because of the advent of 3D molded dash kits, more vehicles are eligible than ever before. Those sleek, curvy dashboards that were once immune to the delicate class that a prime wood dash kit could initiate now have all of the ability their less-than-esteemed brethren have enjoyed for so long. While flat dash kits are still an excellent route for a substantial amount of models, molded kits can certainly be viewed as a wave of the future.

Searching for Your Defining Wood Dash Kit

If you’ve ever taken a stroll down the soda aisle in the supermarket, you have seen Coke®, Pepsi®, and everything else. There are even the generic brands of cola displayed on the shelves here and there. Now, if you’re after a results-oriented beverage that won’t rot in your fridge in two days, you’ll probably lunge for that bottle of Coke® or Pepsi®. But if you just want something to quench your thirst at half the price and give yourself a stomach ache on top of it, then generic might be your game. It is the same thing with wood dash kits. Quality lasts and imitations don’t. There are always customers telling stories how they ordered some fly-by-night dash kit that didn’t stick-on right, the edges peeled off, and bubbled up when heat from the vents got to it. This is an example of a victimized consumer being had, and also shoddy quality, which believe it or not, you can find in droves.

I would suggest sticking with Sherwood and B&I when it comes to your dash kit selections. Both companies go through a ton of trouble in producing top-quality dash kits with all of the fits and finishes under the sun. Both companies also have terrific reputations when it comes to precise fitments, eliminating the worry of ordering a kit that “kind of” fits, but not all the way. If there is one ideal that Sherwood and B&I share, it is that proper fitment is the way they work. With both Sherwood and B&I respectively, you will likely hear nothing but praise from anyone who has purchased one of their wood dash kits, which is more than I can say for several others. You can certainly trust any product with either of their names on it.

The fun part is scanning around for your dash kit’s veneer or color. As we covered earlier, there are dozens and dozens of choices. If you drive a branded “luxury” sedan or SUV, a real wood veneer might be your goal if you are looking to keep up that authentic, extravagant interior image. You may look to check the grain patterns, depth, and gloss. Or if you are more sporting and aggressive, real carbon fiber might be your choice. You definitely have a world of possibilities out there. Be sure to look around and check out as many designs as you can, and then confirm their availability for your vehicle. The odds favor your model being a match for most, if not all. The more reputable dealers also offer samples of veneers and finishes for you to see and hold in person. This may aid you greatly when it is time to decide which one is going to bring all of that class out of your interior!

Installation

Virtually all wood dash kits come backed with automotive-grade 3M tape and a sheet of instructions, or schematic. The instructions display a diagram of your dashboard and surrounding areas with all of the exact specifications. Each piece is normally numbered to coincide with that number on the diagram. After that, it is a simple “peel-&-stick” operation. Even still, here are the basic installation steps you may want to follow once you receive your wood dash kit:

1) Before affixing pieces (molded or flat), clean the dash. Isopropyl alcohol is highly recommended, as all dirt, must, dust, and oils MUST be removed from the area for the pieces to adhere properly.

2) Be sure to have all dash kit pieces in order along with instructions (diagram).

3) Coat the dash area that will receive kit pieces with adhesion promoter. Do this carefully and deliberately so that it does not “run” onto surrounding areas.

4) In the event that it is cool outside (below 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit), you may use a blow-dryer to warm pieces. This will enable them to conform easier to your dash.

5) Peel back tape and stick pieces into place. For larger pieces, unpeel bottom-first when sticking. This will allow you to adjust as needed. When satisfied, simply peel away the remaining tape and adhere the rest of the piece.

6) Once content with positioning, press pieces into place firmly. “Thumb” them down for a tight, concise fitment.

Your Interior Has a Say In Its Looks, Doesn’t It?

Wood dash kits play an important role as an aftermarket tool. Most models, regardless of make, year, or trim level do not come with a refined dash surface. It is mostly that plasticky, rubbery facsimile that does little to inspire greatness in your interior. What wood dash kits do is transform a place that was empty and in the background into something that is vibrant and in the foreground. It is that simple. The luxurious and elegantly styled veneers can work magic, even if your model is considered old or “out of date.” And if your car is right out of the assembly plant, a shimmering dash kit can enhance what is already fresh and exciting. There is, after all, a reason why they exist! And there is an even bigger reason why there is such a broad market for them. Wood dash kits can single-handedly initiate a graceful presence within your ride that you never thought possible. Their accessibility and affordability are what has elevated them to the top of the auto accessory food-chain, and chances are that your vehicle’s interior is naked with one!