How to Choose Hardwood Flooring Company & Install Hardwood Floors: A Complete Guide
How to Choose Hardwood Flooring Company & Install Hardwood Floors: A Complete Guide
One of the simplest yet most crucial choices a homeowner must make when undergoing a remodel is the flooring option because it serves as the foundation for all other considerations. Despite the wide range of choices—from carpet to terrazzo—one material is the de facto standard: hardwood.
However, not all the best flooring companies in Arlington are made equal, and picking a product requires more than just deciding on a favorite color. Both appearance and performance can be influenced by a variety of other elements and the hardwood flooring service we provide.
Traditionally, solid wood was used to make thick slabs of hardwood flooring. Today, engineered flooring is also commonly accessible. These planks are built with a thinner top layer of hardwood linked to other layers in order to prevent the floor from slipping during expansion and contraction cycles.
Solid hardwood is still extensively available today. All wood moves in three directions: tangential, radial, and longitudinal movement. With engineered products, you strive to limit the natural movement of the wood by producing opposing forces within the board.
The ease of installation of engineered flooring makes it a good choice for apartments and basements with concrete subfloors. Engineered flooring can be glued directly to concrete or over a soundproofing mat, as opposed to solid wood, which is typically laid over one or two layers of plywood, which can boost the height of a floor and obstruct existing doors or slightly lower ceiling height. Additionally, it can be installed over radiant heat and has many benefits over the ordinary floors.
Choose carefully though, as some engineered floors have top layers that are too thin to later be sanded and refinished. Products of higher quality have a thicker layer there.
Prefinished hardwood planks, which come with the stain and topcoat already applied, are an alternative to raw hardwood planks that must be finished by a professional after installation. Prefinished wood has the benefit that "you know precisely what you're receiving," noting that once you select a product, you'll have an exact sample to use in choosing other design components, such as textiles, wall coverings, and cabinetry, and in complementing your home's color scheme. The installation of prefinished flooring is significantly quicker because no color or sealant is required. When you opt for a site finish, you're taking a little bit of a chance and counting on the flooring contractor's expertise to get it right.
But many homeowners and designers prefer the level of customization offered by on-site finishing. We have far greater control over the stain and sheen in this approach. Because unfinished flooring is often sanded after it is hammered down and finished as a single continuous plane, the finished result will also be smoother.
A wide range of finishing materials are available, including penetrating oils, hybrids that resemble oils, site-finish polyurethanes, and prefinished UV-cured urethane finishes. But to keep things simple, there are just two types of finishes: polyurethane and oil.
Particularly for families with children or when food is flying around the kitchen, oil penetrates the wood and leaves a firm topcoat that is more resistant to wear and tear. It also has a look and feel that is very soft, matte, and natural.
Oil coatings are more prone to scratching but also hide scratches better. When there is an issue, it is simple to fix them place by spot. In order to properly apply polyurethane, you typically need to replace a board or buff and recoat an entire floor area.
The option to pay for maintenance is pay me now or pay me later. Although maintenance is simpler with a soft oil finish, it is more frequent. With polyurethanes, the harder you push them, the less often you have to perform maintenance, but the more difficult the upkeep is to complete.
Oak is the undisputed monarch of hardwood flooring in North America, and with good reason. It is a wood that takes stains quite well and is highly durable. Additionally, it has a desirable natural grain and is abundantly available in the area, which results in affordable rates. White wood is particularly well-liked in the design community since it lacks the pinkish undertones of red oak.
Another common option is walnut. It has a deep tone that makes it perfect for places where a deeper finish is sought despite being a little softer than oak. "When changing a color, it's preferable to start with a natural material that you're enhancing as little as possible to create the shade you want is a natural option when you want a richer, warmer tone. Hickory, cherry, maple, and ash are more widely accessible North American hardwoods. Color and grain preferences are mostly a matter of personal taste.
Three different log cutting techniques—plain sawn, rift sawn, and quarter sawn—produce three distinct grain patterns. The classic wood grain, known as cathedrals, is produced from plain-sawn wood. When you hear the word "wood grain," this is exactly what comes to mind.
In contrast, rift-sawn boards have a long, linear, uniform grain that is devoid of cathedrals. Although quarter-sawn boards have an uneven figure and iridescent, nearly 3D rays that flare out across the plank, they have a similar appearance to rift boards. Depending on what you're looking for, that can be something you want a lot or not.
The majority of the time, plain-sawn or rift- and quarter-sawn flooring is offered for sale. The mixture is good since it provides some of that figure without going overboard. However, if desired, it is possible to just purchase rift-sawn or quarter-sawn wood.
When it comes to wood grain, there is no good or evil. Simply put, it depends on the application and your goals. We might use plain sawn for a more rural property, and quarter sawn for a little more activity in the city.
Invest in high-quality flooring that will last a long time and increase the value of your home or building. We install and repair a variety of flooring types, including hardwood, bamboo, and oak, at Vintage Flooring Company in Chicago, IL. Our Hardwood Flooring Company only uses high-quality, long-lasting materials. We can provide custom wood floors, prefinished wood floors, refinishing of existing wood floors, and bamboo.