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The world of hardwood flooring is an exciting component of interior
design. Quite literally, any wood could be made into a floor of
one sort or another. In fact, wood offers so many options and
variables that it can be a bit overwhelming to choose the right
floor for a particular space. It is a major component of the budget
and to make a good decision it is important to understand the
different types of flooring and what variables affect the price.
Variables such as the grade of the wood, the width of the boards
and the length of the individual pieces that comprise the floor
can be specified to achieve different looks. Flooring jargon can
be confusing to the newcomer but here is a quick overview of some
of the basic terminology.
Wood flooring products are either engineered or solid wood. Solid
wood products are made from wood boards that are moulded into
planks with a tongue and groove on the edges and usually at the
short ends as well. The pieces are either “blind nailed”
through the tongue into a wood sub-floor or glued to the sub-floor.
Solid wood products can be sold unfinished which requires sanding
and finishing on the jobsite, or prefinished which only requires
installation.
Engineered wood flooring
is made of several layers that are laminated together with the
top layer the actual hardwood and are almost always pre-finished.
Most engineered floors can be nailed to a wood sub-floor, glued
or “floated” on the sub-floor using a foam pad as
a vapor barrier. Engineered floors are popular for use over concrete
slab construction.
Wood floors are available
in varying widths. Usually, a width of 2-1/4” is referred
to as “strip” flooring while widths of 3” and
wider are referred to as “plank” flooring. The common
thickness for solid wood flooring is ¾” or ½”.
The grade of the wood
is something that is determined by grading rules established by
the flooring industry and verified by independent associations.
The grade is simply the appearance of the wood rather than the
quality of the wood. For example, a “high” grade of
wood does not mean that it is a “better” floor. Usually
rustic grades have more knots, streaks and irregularities in the
grain than higher grades.
Our showroom provides samples of the full range of options in
grades, widths and species in both solid and engineered products.
We encourage you to spend some time with our sales staff choosing
a floor that is right for you. In the meantime, we have put together
a project gallery
for you to see all the different species of wood flooring.
Handloggers
Choice
Somerset
Listone
Giordano
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