Get to Know Your Flooring: Solid Wood
Solid wood is among the greatest flooring products and with proper care
Any realtor or flooring expert will tell you few flooring materials are as durable, practical or increase the value of your home quite like solid wood. Among the most popular flooring types in America, solid wood flooring is famous for its inviting and iconic beauty. But the most important thing to consider when working with solid wood is the nature of your project and how the material will fit and interact with the space. Here are a few more things to keep in mind when working with solid wood flooring.
Climate Change
Extreme changes in climate can cause your floors to expand and buckle or conversely, contract and create gaps between the planks. Solid wood is vulnerable to moisture and must be nailed or stapled down to a wood subfloor, limiting its use to above ground level.
Quality is Timeless
While solid wood may be more susceptible to humidity, its thickness and interlocking tongue/groove milling offers your floors greater overall structural strength and its thick top wear layer can be sanded and refinished many times over; which means that quality solid hardwood can go on keeping your home looking lovely (and valuable) for over a century.
What’s Your Flavor?
Another important thing to consider is the wood species and grade. From Oak to Ash, each species of solid wood has distinct grain patterns which make them unique and valuable. Once you’ve decided on the species and grade you prefer, you can narrow your search to materials well suited to both your project and your budget.
Factory Finish vs. Install Finish
Wood floors that are stained and finished prior to installation tend to be more expensive, but a factory finish is much more convenient and longer lasting than the alternative. That means your floors look great far longer and you save money over the long term.
Solid wood is among the greatest flooring products and with proper care, top quality solid wood will add natural beauty and ageless charm to your home for a lifetime.
This post was written by Thais Sousa. Follow Thais on Google.
