The base on which a home is built upon determines how long it will last, therefore, one must never settle for anything lesser in this regard. Now, what is the base upon which your home is built? It is the one aspect which guests put their eyes on when they enter your house, and that is inarguable the flooring! Needless to mention, the flooring of any property is one of the most important aspects of the interior scheme. It can work wonders in transforming your house or property into an architectural dream if executed properly while, if done the wrong way can, in fact, cause detrimental side effects.
When you are on the quest of deciding the right flooring for your home, the best bet is to simply knock on the wood. Hardwood floors are one of the most classic flooring options and they remain to be the leading quintessential model of flooring options to this date! Are you new to the concept of hardwood floors? Worry not; this general guidance will help you in becoming a master of all jacks in no time.
Learning how hardwood flooring remains to be the best flooring choice of all
Hardwood flooring has been a prime flooring option since centuries and still manages to be a popular choice amongst property developers and homeowners. Constructed out of natural hardwood, this natural product is shaped into planks, strips or wooden tiles for the purposes of flooring, and holds the potential of transcending the property into a regal and chic beauty.
As hardwood floors offer an array of pros and advantages, here are some of those mentioned in details.
- Every homeowner is guaranteed to fall for the regal and classy charm which hardwood floors primarily create – Hardwood floors are one of the leading flooring options because of its ability to create a timeless classic beauty which remains fashionable for the ages. Adding the feature of complimenting any home decor accent, hardwood floors turn the dream of every homeowner into a reality in terms of decor.
- Versatility is one of its finest suits and so is easy maintenance – Hardwood flooring is truly a dream come true for every buyer simply since it demands no troublesome maintenance issues. Caring for your hardwood floors require a vacuuming every often and cleaning with a wood cleaner to retain the polish. Furthermore, hardwood floors are widely known for its versatile ability to adapt to different decors and accents as it comes in plenty of options.
- A quality long term investment, hardwood floors contribute to a healthier indoor air quality – there is a reason why potential buyers hardly ever doubt the cash they need to spend when it comes to hardwood floors. There is no better investment than in hardwood flooring, wherein the long run it hikes up the property value highly. Furthermore, hardwood flooring comes with better acoustics hence, avoiding the vibrations and hollow sounds when installed. Being comprised of natural hardwood, hardwood floors provide a healthier indoor atmosphere than carpets or other flooring options. It does not retail pollen, dust, allergens and animal dander neither does hardwood floors have fibers or grout lines.
- Hardwood floors notch up the property value than any other alternatives – Providing the effortless beauty, hardwood floors also extend an upgrade when it comes to the property value. Home and business properties with hardwood flooring find more appraisals where buyers willingly agree to pay the top dollar. Alternatives such as carpets are hardly capable of it.
- Hardwood floors provide a variety of options to choose from to suit every interior decor styles – If you have specific and unique needs for your flooring, then you will find hardwood floor options satisfying your requirements effortlessly. Coming in a wide range of species, shades, stains, and styles, you also find unfinished and pre – finished hardwood floors to choose from.
The range of hardwood flooring available for every potential buyer
Hardwood flooring provides enduring and classy looks. However, one of the most advantageous pros for every buyer is the range of options to choose from. Here is a brief guide to the types of wood flooring you will find:
- In terms of the species – Hardwood floors are constructed from a versatile species of wood to accustom the styles and needs of different decors. Oak, maple, and cherry flooring help to provide a regal and majestic ambiance. While, walnut, mahogany, ash and bamboo are some of the common choices for those who aim for simplicity. If you are looking for some exotic options to try from, there are jarrah, mesquite, and teak as well.
- In terms of installation – In the case of installations, you will find the solid hardwood flooring, which like its name is an all wood ¾ to 5/8 inches thick. It is durable, can be refinished over the long run and can be sanded. While engineered hardwood floors are several layers of real wood glued together. Often used in case of basements, this is an excellent choice for more humidity prone areas of your home.
- In terms of the finish – Unfinished or finishing hardwood flooring? If you are looking for custom stains and protective layers of finish, then the unfinished hardwood floor is what you must choose. For example, in the case of kitchen unfinished hardwood flooring is the right choice. However, in the case of ready to walk flooring requirements, the factory sealed no odor and VOC prefinished hardwood flooring helps save much time during installations.
In any case, an important tip is to ascertain the source of your hardwood floors and make sure it comes from sustainable harvested forests.
Tips to select the right hardwood floor for your property
In order to find the most suitable hardwood floors for your home or business property, here are the factors to consider.
- The budget – considering your budget is highly important since this helps you find the range of hardwood floors within which you will choose.
- The lifestyle that the property will have – the nature of the lifestyle determines the amount of wear and tear the floors will have to endure. Therefore, if it is a heavy traffic area, then solid hardwood floors are a good choice.
A quick maintenance guide for hardwood floors
Retaining the luster and quality of your hardwood floors takes absolutely no effort. A routine cleaning helps you to protect the appearance and characteristics of your floor for years to come. Few quick tips which work wonders in extending the durability and longevity of your hardwood floors are as follows:
- Dusting with the help of a mop or a cloth helps you to protect the surface against scratches and removing dirt that is trapped.
- A simple vacuuming will help you to retain the quality of the floor. Remember to check that the wheels of the vacuum cleaner do not damage the floors through scratches.
- To protect your hardwood floors from losing its shine, use a damp mop once every month with a hardwood floor cleaners to clean the floor.
- Place a mat at the entrance of your property and protect your floors by putting self- adhesive felt- pads at the bottom of your furniture to stay away from scratches and stains.
Wood flooring is a timeless option. Even with the incursion of simulated wood options, wood flooring will never go out of style. Going into 2018, there are different hardwood floor trends we’ll be seeing more of, highlighting a fresh feel and design in any home. Hardwood floors have an ability to change depending on its surrounding styles, as well as an ability to transform any space. Read on to find out what trends we’ll be seeing in homes come the new year.So those are my top 7 trends for hardwood flooring for 2018 and beyond. Most of these trends have been building for years, and I expect them to grow even more in popularity. You can see that many of these trends are synergistic and there’s a strong preference for cooler tones, lower luster and more subtle colors and textures. These trends are consistent with paint trends as the floors and walls need to work together in harmony.
1. Fumed Wood Flooring – Stronger Color and Grain
Almost all types of wood flooring undergo some kind of staining to given them the desired final finish. Fumed wood flooring gets its rich color and grain without having to get any sort of staining. Instead, the wood is put through a process called fuming. This involves placing the wood in a chamber where airborne ammonia is then released. The wood reacts with the ammonia and undergoes a color change. The reaction does not always result in the same changes. The final look depends on a number of factors including: the type of wood, the outside environment, and the atmosphere itself. Generally, fuming gives the wood rich dark tones and enhances the natural grain of the wood. The final look is much more appealing and feels deeper than what you would get with stained wood flooring.
2. Gray – Go With Grey
Yes, gray, gray and more gray. Gray flooring has been on the rise, and you can see it everywhere you go – in wood, tile that looks like wood, and gray vinyl planks that look like wood. Over the past 10 years, grey has been a popular and growing trend for hardwood floors. Going into 2018, it is still one of the most important colors that influence what goes into a home. This color can create a rustic and casual look to a home, or a more refined appearance; it’s versatile. Over the last 2 to 3 years, we’ve been seeing more variations on the grays where people will blend in some browns for a gray/beige look. White washes have also grown in popularity (but they are also harder and more expensive to achieve with real hardwood).
3. Blonde Finish – White
While dark floors are gaining popularity, extremely light tones are also trending upward. Light, blonde wood gives a more open and airy look to a space, especially in natural light. Lighter toned floors have the added benefit of easily hiding imperfections, dirt, and fur much better than dark floors. Expect to see this look in more and more homes in the next few years. White, tan and off-white hardwood floors are also a growing trend. These neutral colored hardwood floors are a perfect blank canvas to design a whole room, and create a feeling of comfort and coziness. Whereas dark hardwood floors have been the trend over the last decade, neutral or natural hardwood colors are making a comeback.
4. Longer and Wid
er Floors
er FloorsYes, wider wood planks make your space look larger (and better). Interesting enough, they make modern homes took more contemporary and older homes look more rustic and authentic. Today, floors with mixed width is steadily being used by designers due to its flexibility. However, longer and wider planks are starting to trend and more of it is expected to be seen in 2018. Wider planks have been growing in popularity over the last decade and are strongly preferred over the standard 2 1/4″ strips that were installed from the 30’s through the 90’s. Nowadays, it’s rare to install anything below 3 1/4″ for new installations (unless you are matching wood that’s in the rest of the house.Technology is allowing an introduction of hardwood floors that are getting wider Going into 2018, look for options for these larger strips to accentuate open and wide spaces in a home.
5. Satin Finished Wood Floors
Homeowners are starting to prefer less “polished” floors with Satin finishes becoming much more widespread. Matte finishes are among-st the fastest growing segment of flooring finishes. Satin finishes offer a fine balance between traditional semigloss and the trendy low gloss finishes and provide many of the benefits of each. Over the last few years, flatter finishes have become even more popular as more and more people are going for water borne poly, especially the higher grade Bona Traffic HD Satin is an amazing product. First, it just gives a more natural, lighter and more contemporary look. The wood looks more natural and it doesn’t have that yellowish tint (oil borne polyurethanes give a more amber color, and they amberizes more over time). And, Bona Traffic is better for the environment (lower VOCs) and it smells less. And, it dries and cures faster. It is more expensive, but it’s worth it if you are going for a light and natural look. The great news for matte and satin finishes is that they are both popular and practical. They are easier to clean and look better longer.
6. Diagonal / Angled Wood Floors
An increasing number of homeowners are installing their wood floors at an angle instead of straight on. If you applied this technique, your living space would have a contemporary and luxurious look. The materials and installation may cost a bit more, but that has never stopped people from creating beautiful works of art they can live on. We should expect to see these angled wood floors more often in the coming years.
7. Parquet
In 2018, expect to see more of parquet, such as a herringbone design. Seen a lot in castles around Europe, these designs can offer an expensive look to a home. To generalize this trend, the geometric patterns in wood such as herringbone, triangles, squares, etc. will be growing in popularity. A parquet floor becomes the focal point to any room; like artwork on your floors!
For 2018, there will be an expansion of complex hardwood floor visuals, which include layers, hand-touched effects, chalky matte finishes, neutral whites and greys, all of which will give any home a fresh feel. Something that will always be a trend for flooring, though, are hardwood floors. Take advantage of these trends by contacting the flooring experts at Tom & Peter Flooring with any questions you may have. You can call us 847-956-2244
When doing a kitchen project the first question that comes up is should the hardwood floors be installed before or after the cabinets? The correct answer is not as simple as it might seem. First we must consider how your hardwood flooring will be installed. Floating, nail down, or glue down? If installing a floating floor, the answer is simple. Install the cabinets first because heavy cabinetry cannot sit on top of a floating floor or it will restrict movement and increase the chances of flooring separation. However, when installing a wood flooring nail down or glue down, there are more factors to consider.
Traditionally hardwood flooring is more commonly installed prior to the cabinets and sanded and finished as one of the last steps, but with the increasing popularity of prefinished hardwood flooring the risks of damage during installation becomes greater.
What are the benefits to installing my hardwood flooring first?
- Your cabinet layout can later be changed without the hassle of finding replacement wood flooring for your existing hardwood.
- Ease of installation for the hardwood flooring and the removal of unnecessary cutting of all the nooks and cranny of the kitchen.
What are the benefits of installing my cabinetry first?
- Prevent hardwood flooring from being damaged.
- Will not need to worry about un-level hardwood flooring because hardwood flooring requires a flat subfloor, but cabinets require a level surface to install over.
Final Thoughts…
When planning the project together, the benefits of installing your hardwood flooring first outweigh the benefits of installing cabinets before hardwood. Damage to hardwood flooring can be prevented by covering up your wood flooring with protection. Hardwood flooring with rough finishes and distressed looks may help to hide small scratches that may occur during the project.
For your next wood flooring project, remember to first check the method of installation before deciding hardwood or cabinets first. If you have the option of installing hardwood first, that is the preferred method for a job well done.
