Getting To Your Choice In Solid Wood Flooring One Step At A Time
Log on to an online site selling solid wood for floors and other uses in homes
, offices and other buildings. Your first impression will be one of bewilderment at the wide variety of choices in solid wood for flooring purposes including but not limited to the types of wood, of varieties and of finishes. Unless you have building experience, your first instinct is to choose the wood based on its appearance.
As we should all know by now, appearances can deceive and, thus, choosing the solid wood floor based on appearances can backfire in so many ways. Instead, we suggest understanding how these products work in real life, which means stripping away the technical jargon most often used by salesmen. Better yet, let's explore your options one step at a time.
Start With Knowing Your Type:
Flooring materials made from solid wood come in three main types, namely, strip, plank and parquet. It should be noted that each type also comes in two versions, namely, unfinished and pre-finished. Yes, we understand if the information only added to your confusion so let's break it down.
Let's start with the three main types. First, strip flooring is measured in terms of the planks' thickness, which varies from 5/16 to 3/4 inches wide, as well as its width with set measurements of 1.5, 2 and 2.25 inches.
Second, plank flooring comes in varying widths although its thickness only comes in two measurements - 1/2 and 3/4 inches. The thickness can range from 3 to 8 inches.
Third, parquet flooring can be made in various patterns and, thus, tend to be very different from typical hardwood flooring. The most common parquet floors have geometrical patterns made from individual wood slats that may or may not follow the wood's natural grains.
As previously mentioned, these three types of solid wood flooring come in two versions. While the unfinished version should be sanded and finished on the job site before its installation, the pre-finished version comes ready for installation. Of course, the main differences between the two involve the costs and the final look.
Choose Your Wood Species:
When you have chosen the type and version of the flooring, your next step is to choose the wood species. Take note that virtually all wood species come in the above mentioned types and versions so your choice will come down to your preferred colour, grains and style of the solid wood floor. Indeed, there are no hard and fast rules to follow when choosing your own solid wood flooring just as there are not hard and fast rules in designing your house.
What are the most popular wood species used in solid wood floors? We can mention the following:
Oak - It comes in two main types, namely, red oak and white oak. Red oak obviously has a reddish tint coupled with a coarse grain while white oak actually has a brown coloration combined with a greater number of swirls and burls. In terms of durability, white oak is better than red oak but their beauty is almost equal.
Cherry - This is a soft wood, thus, its popularity as an accent wood although it can also be used for the entire floor with a few modifications for greater stability. Its light brown colour imparts a warm and cosy ambience to the room.
In conclusion, take a long, hard and careful look at your options in solid wood flooring before making your decision. Being impulsive in your decisions where building a house is concerned is not advisable.
by: Lawrence White
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