subject: Hardwood Flooring Option You May Have Overlooked [print this page] Hardwood floors have literally been around for centuries but, like anything else, industry trends come and go. Here are some of the hardwood flooring options that are red hot in 2010 and well worth keeping in mind as you wade through all the different choices that are available today.
Distressed Hardwood Floors You want a new hardwood floor but you love the vintage look of older ones and dont know how to get it? Distressed hardwood flooring may then be the right choice for you. Distressed hardwood flooring planks are literally beaten up by the flooring manufacturer prior to being shipped out.
This distress is created in a number of different ways ranging from industrial presses that roll imperfections into the planks as they move through an assembly line to the work of skilled artisans who beat on the wood with bags filled with nuts and bolts. The finished result is a brand new floor that has all the character and charm of one that has been around for decades.
Reclaimed Hardwood Floors Reclaimed hardwood floors are very much the choice of the green set as they are created from wood that might otherwise be rotting away in a landfill somewhere. Ecological considerations aside, reclaimed hardwood floors boast another big advantage as well, the wood they are constructed with.
As the wood tends to be older much of it is old growth heartwood, which is some of the strongest and most beautiful wood that has ever been harvested and is very hard to find in these eco conscious days.
Hand scraped Hardwood Flooring These are hardwood planks that have been worked by hand with all the irregular scrapes and cuts to prove it. The end result is a floor with a great deal of charm and character but make sure you know what you are getting before you buy. There are some rather unscrupulous companies out there who try to mimic the uniqueness of hand scraped flooring in an industrial setting.
As usual, if you have some practical experience of laying new wooden flooring and the area to be re-floored is not too extensive, you might be able to take it on yourself but otherwise it is something that really requires a professionals touch.
