hardwood flooring sites.com

By Jimmy Sturo

Hardwood floors have always been very popular. Hardwood flooring is also being done in customized patterns like borders, medallions, motifs, hand-distressing, painting, mixed media and stains. With advanced technology, hardwood floors have become very affordable, as well as extremely easy to maintain. Oak has become very popular in the last few years. Cherry, white oak, birch and maple are other popular woods. Hardwood flooring can be categorized as unfinished, pre-finished, acrylic, impregnated, solid and engineered, based on the kind of manufacturing process used.

The main aspects to be considered while installing hardwood floors are the general color tone (dark brown, medium brown, light brown, reddish brown, golden brown, natural or other colors); the wood floor type (solid, engineered or floating); where is the floor going to be installed (above ground level, at ground level or below ground level); what the floor will be placed on (over concrete slab, plywood subfloor, oriented strand board, previous vinyl or wood subfloor) and so on. Other important things to be considered are the budget, the kind of room, the traffic and furniture in the room, the style and design of the walls and furniture, etc.

There are many kinds of hardwood species for flooring: red oak, white oak, oak-stained white, walnut, birch, ash, maple, red maple, cherry, pear, plum, bamboo, beech, mahogany, pine, hickory, jarrah, tamarindo, American cherry, teak and many more. The different styles of hard wood floorings are parquet, plank and strip. There are also pre-finished and unfinished hardwood floors available. Hardwood floors also depend on the grade, cut, dimensions, pattern and color.

Hardwood floors are relatively very easy to maintain. For proper maintenance, do not use waxes and other scrubs; use throw rugs to prevent dust and grime that may cause scratches; do not wet mop; wipe up spills immediately; put soft fabric or plastic glides under the furniture; do not slide heavy furniture over the wood floor; use a humidifier to avoid wood movement and shrinkage; do not walk with spiked shoes or high heels; and prevent direct exposure to sun as this can increase the oxidation process and cause the floor to age faster.

Wood Flooring provides detailed information about wood flooring, laminate wood flooring, hard wood flooring, engineered wood flooring and more. Wood Flooring is the sister site of How To Clean Marble.
 

By Marcus Peterson

It is no wonder that hardwood floors are preferred by many to complete the construction of their house, office, or other structural establishments. If you will notice, hardwood floors appear in almost all of the edifices that you have set foot into. This is mainly because hardwood floors are naturally laden with characteristics that ensure longevity and aesthetics.

When you look at a hardwood floor, you cannot help but visualize the traces of its history and what forest it came from. A hardwood floor, when installed properly, provides warmth and natural elegance to a room. It is rich in those characteristics provide personality to structure that contains it. Aside from the aesthetic benefits, it can also add value to your home, can last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance, and can be cleaned easily. Furthermore, it is safe for the environment as it is made naturally from wood, and no other highly-destructive elements are added.

There are three basic types of hardwood floors: solid wood floors, engineered wood floors, and laminate wood floors.

Solid wood floors. These can be installed on concrete as long as the floor is on or above ground level. They also come in three basic types: strip flooring, which is installed by nailing to the sub-floor with strips that are usually 2-1/4 inches wide with widths ranging from 1 ½ inches to 3 ¼ inches; 2) plank flooring boards, which can be nailed or screwed to the sub-floor with screw holes that can be covered with wooden plugs; and, 3) parquet flooring, which consists of blocks of wood that are laid in decorative patterns.

Engineered hardwood. This is made of a composite of several layers of different kinds of wood while others are made with various grades of the same wood, stacked and glued together under heat and pressure. Unlike solid wood floorings, engineered wood flooring is less likely to be affected by the changes of humidity and can be mounted above or below ground level.

Wood laminate flooring. This third type is actually a plywood base and with a top layer of veneer. This is usually found in three-ply with a 3/8 inch thickness. It can be sanded and finished three times at the most.

Hardwood provides detailed information on Hardwood, Hardwood Floors, Install Hardwood Flooring, Hardwood Furniture and more. Hardwood is affiliated with Solid Hardwood Floors.
 

By Peter Leigh

Engineered wood flooring has been one of the great innovations in flooring to hit the market. Engineered hardwood is not made from solid wood. It consists of several layers and only the top layer is the actual hardwood that you always dreamed of having for the floors of your home. The layers underneath are specifically designed to give you maximum wear and tear and they give you practical flooring for just about every room of the house. Engineered wood flooring has advantages over solid hardwood that make it very attractive.

For one thing, engineered wood flooring is not as costly as solid hardwood flooring. The other layers of the engineered hardwood flooring are plywood or high density fibreboard. They are molded together under high pressure in a factory setting. Engineered hardwood floors will not expand and contract as solid hardwood does with changes in humidity and temperature. You can install it over just about any type of existing floor and by following special instructions you can install an engineered floor over radiant heat sources.

Engineered wood flooring in one of the most versatile choices that you can make when it comes to flooring in your home. It has many practical applications. You can install it over an existing concrete floor or one made with inferior grade wood. You can glue or nail it down and there are also forms of engineered hardwood floors that are glueless, forming a floating floor. It is an excellent choice in areas where there are drastic changes in temperature and humidity. However, engineered wood does not perform well in rooms of the home where there is an excess of humidity and moisture, such as in bathrooms or mudrooms.

One of the major reasons that many homeowners choose engineered wood flooring is its fantastic price. You have the same look and texture of hardwood, but it seems as if you are getting the hardwood at a wholesale price. Engineered hardwood floors are easy to install and the instructions are clearly printed inside each carton of flooring. You do have to make sure that the subfloor is clean of dust and dirt before you start so that any small pieces of rock won’t work their way up through the flooring.

In the line of engineered wood flooring, you can get various types of wood, stains and finishes. You can also choose prefinished and unfinished hardwood, but if you are looking for an easy project, then it is best to go with prefinished. This way when you have the engineered hardwood flooring installed, you don’t have to bother applying any stain or finish. You can just sit back and enjoy your engineered wood flooring.

To find out more about Wood Flooring visit Peter’s Website Wood Flooring Explained and find out about Laminate Flooring and more, including Exotic Hardwood Floors, Wood Laminate Flooring, Refinishing Hardwood Floors and Bruce Hardwood Flooring.
 

By Marcus Peterson

Solid hardwood floors should neither be installed over a concrete slab nor below ground level because of high moisture sensitivity. Unsightly gaps appear when moisture dries and the floors contract in the winter heating months. The floors expand and gaps disappear during summers. The wood planks may buckle or cup because of excessive moisture. In view of these facts, enough space should be left for expansion and wood should be acclimated. Nail-down installations are most appropriate for these floors. The possibility of re-coating and refinishing increases the life and appearance of solid hardwood floors. Generally solid hardwood floors are made up of ash, maple, red oak and white oak.

Solid wood floorings are divided into three sub categories: strip flooring, plank flooring and parquet flooring. Thickness of strip flooring varies between 5/16 inch and ¾ inch. Available widths are 1 ½ inch, 2 inch and 2 ¼ inch. Though plank flooring is sold in two thicknesses, width can range between 3 inches and 8 inches. Parquet flooring has geometrical patterns that are created with wood slats.

Hand-scraped hardwood floors are hand crafted. Character markings on handscraped hardwood floors (hand sculptured floors) are a unique feature. These floors offer the best finishes for either the modern world look or the old reclaimed wood floor look. Both engineered and solid hand sculpted floors are sold. Beautiful handscraped hardwood floors are very expensive. Engineered handscraped hardwood floors are best suited for a structure erected on a concrete slab and in high humidity conditions. A few companies also market distressed hardwood flooring that has machine made markings unlike hand made markings in handscraped hardwood floor. Handscraped floor is costlier than distressed version, but both floorings offer a rich look.

Hardwood floors should be cleaned with products recommended by the manufacturer. Regular use of a vacuum cleaner will clean dirt, mud, grit and small stones that may spoil the finish. Welcome mats at the entrance for wiping feet before walking on the floor are of great help in protecting the finish. When choosing furniture for you home, do not buy products with sharp metal or wooden legs to prevent denting and scratching. Use of furniture coasters or felt protectors for all legs will prevent scratching. Non-staining and wide rubber cups are a must for heavy items like piano. The use of a paste wax on the hardwood floor with a polyurethane finish damages the finish. Spills on hardwood floors need immediate attention. Clean them with a paper towel or damp white cloth and dry the area.

Hard Wood Floors provides detailed information on installing, cleaning and refinishing various types of hardwood floors, including engineered, solid, long-strip, exotic, pre-finished, and cheap hardwood floors. Hard Wood Floors is the sister site of Bamboo Flooring Web.

By Vincent Platania

How many times have you entered a store searching for the perfect wood floor cleaning product and once you arrived at the proper aisle, you were floored to see the vast selection of products on the market for cleaning your wood floors?  Which should you pick, the cheap one, the expensive one?  Who knows?

The Evolving Wood Floor
 
Wood flooring was made popular a long, long time ago.  Around the turn of the century wood flooring was just about the only type of flooring found in homes.  There is nothing better than to purchase an older home, rip up the carpeting, and only hope that beautiful natural wood floors are beneath it.  So many consumers are searching for that perfect wood flooring, whether it is a natural wood, or laminate wood flooring.

What to Avoid When Cleaning a Wood Floor

The secret to a beautiful, wood floor is never, ever use water on the floor.  If water is spilled it should be wiped up immediately to prevent damage to your wood floor.  There are hundreds of wood floor cleaning products.  Your job is to read the label.  Find out what’s in that product.  Most wood floors have a finish on them, usually a urethane coating.  Never use a wax or waxed based product on your wood floor.  You can use a cleaner/polisher to enhance the finish of your wood flooring. Using a polishing mop with a soft material such as terry cloth is recommended to ensure a polished look to your wood floors.

Taking Preventative Measures
 
Of course the first step in floor care is preventative maintenance.  To maintain your wood floor’s natural beauty and finish you should use carpet rugs in high traffic areas and around sinks.  These rugs will need to be vacuumed often, so that dirt does not collect beneath them onto your wood floors.  High heals should not be worn on wood floors as they could potentially dent them.  Keeping your pets nails trimmed will also result in less scratching.  Along with this, never slide furniture across your wood floors when moving your furniture around.  Place a carpet rug underneath the legs of the furniture before moving.  It is also recommended to place protector pads underneath legs of all furniture.

The best preventative maintenance is to keep your floors clean of debris.  Whether you sweep, dust or vacuum your wood floors, keeping them dirt free is the key.  Using a soft duster is one of the best options for keeping a wood floor clean.  Dust mops are perfect for pet hair, lint and dust and should be used daily on your wood floors, along with a gentle cleaning product that will clean your floor as you dust.  A clean floor leads to a happy home owner.  Keep the overall beauty of your wood floors by taking the time to find out exactly what it is you are putting on those beautiful wood floors.

Author Vincent Platania represents the Fuller Brush Company.Fuller Brush has been in business since 1906, and offers safe, environmentally friendly products for keeping your home and your body clean.
Visit http://www.fuller-brush-products.com

By Vincent Platania

When you begin shopping for the perfect product to clean your floors, you may you’re yourself overwhelmed by the shear multitude of choices out there.  In addition, you are not likely to find one product capable of caring for all of the flooring in your home.  Nonetheless, whether you’re shopping at your local market, online, or at a specialty stores, every company seems to have the perfect product to clean your flooring.

The perfect cleaner can be found whether you have hardwood floors, laminate, tile, vinyl or laminate floors.  There’s a product if not a dozen that will assist you in keeping your floors looking like they day they were installed.

The array of floor cleaning products not only consists of chemicals to clean the floor, but also products to apply those chemicals!  No matter what type of floors you have, you need the proper tools to clean them.  Before you purchase those products you will need to determine the proper tools needed to keep your floors clean.

1.  Brooms/Dust mops: The first step in maintaining a beautiful floor is to daily sweep the debris brought into the home off of the floors.  This applies to hard wood, most tiled floors and linoleum.  You will want to purchase a soft bristled and angular broom or a dust/dry mop. Dirt, sand, and other debris can scratch hard woods and will discolor the grout in tile flooring.   Keeping debris off of the floor is the most important step in maintaining the natural beauty of any floor.

2.  Cleaners: The second step in maintaining beautiful floors is the cleaner.  For most hard floors including hard wood, all stone tiles and ceramics you will want to use a cleaner that will clean and protect the floor until it’s time to clean again.  There are multi cleaners that are available to clean all types of hard flooring.  These cleaners gently clean and leave no residue on your floors.  For hard wood you will want to purchase a product designed specifically for wood floors.  For marble, vinyl, and linoleum flooring you will want to choose a product that will mop and shine the floor in one step.  Make sure the product is acceptable to use on no-wax floors.

3. Mops:  Just as important as the cleaners, is the tool you use to apply the cleaners.  You should use a soft mop when cleaning hardwood floors, typically made with a terry cloth or similar product. This will help to polish the floors as you clean.  For tile flooring including slate, stone, and granite it is best to use a cotton mop or a sponge mop.  These mops are best for tiled floors with grout and are also very effective on vinyl and linoleum flooring.

With the right tools and the right floor cleaning products, you will achieve success in keeping your flooring looking beautiful year after year.

Author Vincent Platania represents the Fuller Brush Company.Fuller Brush has been in business since 1906, and offers safe, environmentally friendly products for keeping your home and your body clean.
Visit http://www.fuller-brush-products.com

By Jimmy Sturo

Wood flooring is a very popular alternative to tiles or concrete flooring. Wood floors have a warm, inviting, exotic look. They are suitable for almost any kind of room: bedroom, living room, libraries, offices, etc. However, they are not preferred for the kitchen, bathrooms and other places where the humidity is higher since wood tends to rot and warp under humid conditions.

Wood flooring is no longer very expensive today. With advanced technology, it has become as affordable as any other kind of flooring. The most affordable kind of wood flooring is the discount wood flooring being offered by many companies worldwide.

These companies offer good quality, high-grade, branded wood flooring at very reasonable prices and discounts, sometimes as high as 70%. Most suppliers also give warranties on discount wood flooring.

Discount wood flooring is available in several varieties like birch, ash, maple, cherry, pear, walnut, plum, oak-stained white, bamboo, red oak, beech, mahogany, etc. They are also being designed with borders, medallions, motifs and other patterns for an interesting as well as customized look. Discount wood flooring is available in both unfinished and pre-finished versions.

There are certain things to be considered while selecting discount wood flooring: the budget, the kind of wood to be used, the style or design, the traffic in the place where the floor would be installed, the color of the walls and the rest of the furniture, the kind of maintenance that is required and so on. Other questions to be considered are how long the installation will take, if the contractor has a license and the warranties and guarantees. Some of the most popular manufacturers of wood flooring are: Armstrong, Pergo, Mannington, Stepco, Wilsonart, Florida Tile, American Olean and Daltile.

Information about discount wood flooring would be available at any of these manufacturers’ offices. The internet is also a very good source for learning more about discount wood floors.