A Homeowners Guide to Buying Wood Flooring
In this guide to buying wood flooring we will explain about the various options and considerations a typical homeowner should consider when buying wood flooring. Whether you plan to purchase online or at your local retailer, the outcome is the same. The more you know, the better you will be prepared to make an educated decision as to the right wood floor for your home.
Fitting Costs:
The cost of fitting wood flooring must be taken into account when you budget your renovation or refurbish budget. There are two aspects that will influence the cost. The first is the fitting method that you choose and the second the labour cost of actually fitting the floor.
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Fitting methods - There are several methods of fitting wood flooring and some are dearer than others. The most cost effective method is 'floating' and as the name suggest, the floor is neither nailed down nor glued down. Floating will only work in cases of large floorboards in terms of dimensions. The most popular method is 'glue down'. A method that requires more time compared to the previous one, but suitable for all wood flooring technologies. The last method is 'nail down'. The most time consuming method, nail down is considered the most stable.
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Labour costs - Assuming you do pot have the necessary skills to fit wood flooring, you would require a contractor to fit it. Your first and most cost effective means is to negotiate the fitting price with the supplier at the time of buying the wood. If the negotiations haven't succeeded or the retailer does not offer such services, you have a few options. You could try yellow pages for local contractor or use one of the many online work-bidding sites like MyHammer.com. When choosing a supplier, make sure that they have hands on experience in fitting floors and do not shy away from asking for references. Additionally, find out what sort guarantee on fitting you get.
Flooring Technology:
There are two wood flooring technologies available and for most homes, either technology would suit fine. On the surface both types look identical and both are priced the same. The differences lie underneath and your decision to prefer one instead of the other needs to take into account the qualities of each technology.
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Solid Wood Flooring - Floorboards of the solid technology are made from complete 100% wood. Their most obvious quality is extreme durability in terms of service life. However, floorboards tend to come in smaller sizes and are therefore unsuitable for 'floating' installation. Additionally, in its natural state, wood tends to expand in hot conditions and retract in cold conditions. Solid wood flooring is made from complete natural wood and therefore inherits this quality. In most homes only the limitation on using floating installation will play a role in the decision making process.
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Engineered Wood Flooring - Floorboards of the engineered technology are made from three or four layers of wood, Plywood, MDF and Softwood. Their most obvious quality is better suitability in areas that might experience damp or wet conditions (such as a bathroom or kitchen area). Engineered wood flooring are suitable for all three fitting methods and do not share the solid wood quality to expand / retract. However, their durability of 25 years is significantly less compared to solid wood flooring with expected durability of between 50 to 100 years. Durability is heavily influenced by basic care and maintenance.
Wood Flooring Grade:
In their basic form, both solid and engineered flooring cost the same. Each type is then broken-down to grade, which is where the difference in price come in. Grade is an indicator of how fine the floorboard is in terms of more or less colour variations, knots and mineral streaking. There are four grades and each is available in solid or engineered form.
- Prime - The highest and most expensive grade. All of the floorboards will match in colour. Knots will be infrequent and very small.
- Select - Floorboards will start showing differences in colour and knots are expected throughout.
- Natural - Depending on the precise species of wood, significant colour variations and knots of various sizes are expected.
- Rustic - The most affordable and therefore popular grade of wood flooring. Heavy grain markings, figuring, colour variations and large knots feature throughout.
Wood Flooring Care:
To achieve the durability potential of the floor, wood flooring requires conservative care. Maintenance includes proactive steps to reduce accidental damage and correct cleaning procedures.
- Proactive - Never drag objects on the floor and try to place objects on furniture pads to reduce contact with the wood. Fit doormats at the entrance to the house to reduce the build up of dirt and dust and most common, scuffs from tiny stones.
- Cleaning - Sweep the floor on a daily basic with a soft brush or using a soft extension on your hover. Never wet the floor during the cleaning process, rather use damp microfiber cloth. For the best long-term result, use dedicated wood flooring cleaning chemical from a known brand.
Enjoy your new wood flooring.
A homeowner guide to buying wood flooring by online wood flooring vendor, Wood and Beyond.
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