It is time to change out that old, tired flooring. What do you pick? New carpet? What about tile? The options for floor coverings are broad and getting larger by the day as new material becomes available. Hardwood floors offer the best of all worlds. They are versatile, durable and offer extreme value for the money.
Read More Hardwood Flooring Offers Versatility, Durability and Value
Hardwood flooring is obviously made from a limited natural resource. Trees are a renewable resource but some of them take a very long time to renew. Most hardwood trees grow slower than softwoods such as pine. Softwood pine can grow to maturity in about ten years. An oak tree however, only grows about one foot per year. Even rarer hardwoods take longer to grow. That’s why so many people are hesitant about hardwood options. There are green, sustainable ways to choose a hardwood floor.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely heard of reclaimed wood by now. Over the past few years, it has emerged as the hottest trend in flooring. You’ve probably even seen it used even if you weren’t aware of what to call it. Here’s the basics.
Interior design elements go through trends that tend to be somewhat cyclical, much like fashion. Currently, the fashion of the 1990s is making a resurgence; that fashion was a response to a lot of what was happening in the 1960s. The trend moves in cycles like that. Interior design, and specifically hardwood flooring, moves in similar trends. Currently, the hardwood designs of the 1940s are growing in popularity again. Those trends were a response to the economic hard times of the 1930s. So, what are those trends?
Wood hardness is measured on the janka scale. The janka scale ranges from about 100 to 4000, with higher numbers indicating wood that is harder. The lowest wood on the scale is generally balsa wood, which is used for many craft projects. It ranks at 100 and would not make a good floor. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a wood that ranks near 4000 would not make a great floor because it would require so much work to saw and to nail. It would be a hassle to sand it and finish it. Typically, a good hardwood floor is about 1000 or higher. For comparison, different strands of oak range from 1260 to 1360. They’re also the most popular kinds of hardwood flooring for several reasons.
There are reasons to look for the hardest hardwood floor you can buy. The main reason you would look for a very hard hardwood is longevity. If you have any furniture made of pine, you’ve likely noticed that you can dent it with your finger. That’s why it doesn’t make a great flooring material if you want your floor to look great for years. Hard domestic woods are about on the middle of the hardness scale. They can’t be dented with a fingernail but they can sometimes be scratched by pet nails or high heels. That means you’ll need to make sure you keep your polyurethane finish in good condition. Alternately, you can choose a very hard hardwood. It will resist scratching, chipping, or denting.
Steam mops have been growing in popularity as a way to clean all kinds of floors recently. In fact, some steam mop manufacturers have said that their steam mops are safe for use on hardwood floors. However, some hardwood floor manufacturers have disputed that categorization. They say that steam mops are not safe for hardwood floor. So, what’s the truth?
Just about every homeowner loves hardwood flooring. There is one group that often finds they don’t care for it: pets. There are two main concerns with pets and hardwood flooring. First, the pet’s claws have a tendency to scratch the hardwood flooring. Secondly, pets sometimes have a hard time if the hardwood is slippery. The slippery, hard floor can be painful on the joints of old animals. There are some things you can do to alleviate those concerns. If you’re committed to hardwood flooring, here are the things you should look for.
Reclaimed wood or reclaimed lumber is wood that was once part of buildings that have since been torn down. The wood is reclaimed to be used for things like wood flooring. Reclaimed wood is different than salvaged wood which is wood that has been cut down and stored but was not previously used for construction.
Hardwood flooring is a beautiful option but it is prone to a lot of abuse and over time will start to show signs of the constant use. The floor may get dented, scratched, have stains, chip or even warp. If your flooring is looking lackluster and missing the shine it once had you may be wondering if its time to replace it or if you can refinish it.
Read More Should I Replace my Hardwood Floors or Refinish them?