Hardwood floors can be installed anywhere in the home and can be prepared from various wood species such as elm, ash, oak, amendoim, cypress, teak, cherry, walnut, rosewood, walnut, and maple. Hardness, stability, color and color changes vary depending on the type of wood. Chestnut, Douglas fir, and North American cherry offer low hardness, while Brazilian walnut, Caribbean cherry, and bloodwood hardwood is extremely hard. The stability of hardwood floors is inversely related to the inherent moisture in the wood and is independent of engineering. The appearance of unfinished hardwood floors plays an important role in the grading process. Grades commonly assigned to hardwood flooring include Clear, Select, Common 1, Common 2, Grade 1, Grade 2, and Grade 3.
Hardwood floors enhance the look of a room and when placed in harmony with furniture and other elements in a room’s interior design, they impart an elegance that synthetic floors cannot match.
Hardwood floors can be installed using the following methods:
Down Nails – Nails are used to attach hardwood to the subfloor, either on grade or above grade. Nails are generally used for hardwood 3/4 “thick.
Staple Down – Nails can be substituted with a pneumatic stapler to bond the hardwood to the subfloor. Stapling is easier to achieve compared to nailing and is therefore a favorite with DIY enthusiasts.
Glue: Patterned wood or parquet panels can be glued to the subfloor above, above, or below grade. The subfloor can be made of wood or concrete.
Floating: Engineered floors and long planks can be installed using the floating process in which a foam pad is placed between the floors and the subfloor. Hardwood planks are held in place by an adhesive found on the tongue and groove portion applied to each plank. Floating allows the installation of hardwood on uneven surfaces.
Hardwood floors are easy to maintain and the following guidelines should help homeowners ensure the beauty and longevity of their hardwood floors.
o The floor should be swept and vacuumed regularly to avoid accumulation of dust that could scratch the finish.
o Doormats and rugs prevent sand particles from wearing down the hardwood floor
o Furniture and chairs should have leg pads to avoid scratching the floor when dragging / moving furniture
o The dimensions of hardwood floors can change with humidity; A relative humidity of around 45% should be maintained throughout the year.
o A rug or mat should be placed in front of workstations, sinks, kitchen sinks to prevent utensils, detergents, and water from scratching and staining.
o Wood floors must be protected from direct light, whether natural or artificial. Strong direct light can cause discoloration of the floor
Hardwood floors can be treated with surface finishes that add shine, increase elasticity, and make them water resistant. Finishes consist of urethanes and polyurethanes. A hardwood floor with a surface finish does not require waxing.
Wax finishes penetrate the cells of the wood and provide a low-gloss finish. Periodic buffing helps restore shine to wax-finished floors. Wood floors used in high-traffic areas such as shops and restaurants are impregnated with acrylic finishes that increase their hardness and durability.
