subject: What You Need To Know About Hardwood Floors [print this page] Just because you have decided to go with hardwood floors doesn't mean that the work is over. In fact, the hardest decision making is just beginning. You should no doubt brace yourself for a long and arduous process but in the end you will find the work well worth your time and energy. Here are some things you need to consider for this project:
1. First of all, you need to establish a budget. As with most other home improvement projects the more exact you can be at the beginning, the more time, energy, and money you will save in the end. Shop around for deals, but don't just accept the first good one you find as it might end up being not quite what you think.
2. Each room has different allowances for the type of hardwood flooring material that you can use. Obviously, some woods are stronger than others and can handle different conditions. This depends on several factors, like humidity, relativity to the ground level, radiant heat, and foot traffic. If you are only doing one room, then you only need to worry about these factors for that specific room.
3. Choose a style or design that will complement the existing room decor, particularly the paint. Otherwise you will end up having to redesign the whole room.
4. Choose the type of finish that will best suit the room. This is very similar to choosing the type of wood as things like traffic play a big part in determining the finish. Rooms that get more use will need to be refinished more often.
When selecting woods it is important to know these specifics too:
1. Domestic or exotic. However, even within these classifications it can get very specific. For instance, woods that are from dryer regions of the world might not hold up well if you live somewhere with high heat and humidity. You also need to know that "oak" or "pine" could mean several different things.
2. The grade of wood is also important, because it helps to define how clear the grain is. The higher the grade, the clearer the grain, and generally the higher-quality it is.
3. There are 3 types of "cuts": Standard, Plain, and Quartered. The harder the cut, the less susceptible the wood is to moisture damage. Cut is determined by the saw angle in relation to the wood grain.
4. Dimensions: How thick and or wide is your floor? What is the length? Irregular needs could result in more planning time to pattern the product properly.
5. The most common patterns are Strip and Plank. Look at a catalog or a physical example before making a decision. You can't change your mind later.
6. The same goes for color, get a sample of the prefinished product and the unfinished product so you'll know how the final color will work with your home as it is.
While these lists seem somewhat long, they are very simple. They are also necessary considerations if you want to make the most of your redesign experience.
