Solid Wood Flooring

There is nothing more impressive and yet welcoming than walking into a house where there is a wooden floor. By wooden floor I don’t mean that cheap laminate floor that you can buy at a DIY shop and install yourself. I mean a proper wooden floor, made from real planks of wood and cut to fit the inside of your home. Wooden floors have always been impressive and now in times of sustainability they are becoming more and more popular.

Wood that makes up wooden floors comes from a sustainable source [usually Scandinavia where there are copious amounts of pine trees] and once installed it makes a floor covering that lasts for a lifetime. There is no need to change it every few years, if looked after well it will stay beautiful for many years and will fit in to countless changes of the environment around it.

Wooden floors look great whatever the design of the room. Solid wood flooring is a warm, attractive and sturdy form of floor that offers householders a durable, impressive base to their interiors. The striking appearance is matched by a long-life expectation that, with the right maintenance, will see the floor provide many years of excellent quality service.

 When you first have your wooden floor installed you will see that the wood comes in thick planks. As it is real wood, not the fake kind that can be made to look like the real stuff, it has real wood properties, it can expand or contract with moisture and therefore it must be installed the right way to allow it space for movements in size.

 That’s why it is important that when you are installing a solid wood floor you engage a proper installation company to do it for you. As long as it is installed correctly it will provide a beautiful feature which will enhance any home from a completely organic source. What’s more once you have seen the real thing and realised the quality that comes along with it you will never think artificial wood flooring is worth looking at. 

Solid wood flooring is usually manufactured from 3/4" thick solid wood and has tongue and groove sides to join the boards. The main advantage of solid wood flooring is its ability to be re-sanded and refinished over many years, making it able to outlive the person who had it installed. It is not uncommon for solid wood floors to last 50 years or more.

 The main issue to consider with these floors is because they are solid wood, they are susceptible to expansion and contraction due to humidity changes in the home. Therefore it is not encouraged to have this type of floor in a bathroom or room where a lot of water may be splashed around. So if you want a floor that is a showstopper that will last a lifetime this could be the thing for you.

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What Is Solid Wood Flooring?

Solid wood flooring is a type of flooring that you install or have installed in your home. This means that you are usually putting down hardwood flooring such as oak in your home. It is more costly to put down wood flooring than wall to wall carpeting at first, although after a period of time, the cost of the carpeting is more than that of the floors as carpeting needs to be replaced every few years. Cleaning wood flooring is much easier than cleaning carpeting as well.

Unlike carpeting which tends to hold onto stains and often needs to be professionally cleaned, solid wood flooring can be cleaned on your own and will usually last for the lifetime of the house with proper care. Even if you do have some damage over the course of the years with wood flooring, it can be sanded and re-stained so that it looks like new when you so choose. For this reason, wood flooring is the sound choice when it comes to the type of flooring that you should choose for your home.

On top of that, solid wood flooring will not harbor bacteria or dirt like carpeting, making it cleaner than carpeting and easier to maintain. You have many choices when it comes to wood flooring for your home. Solid wood flooring is made from hardwoods that will hold up over a long period of time. Just as your house structure holds up for the lifetime of the house, so will oak floors.

 When you are looking for wood flooring for your home, one of the best woods to choose when seeking solid wood flooring is oak. This is a hardwood that will withstand the test of time and will usually last for the lifetime of the house. Installing solid wood flooring is not usually considered a do it yourself project any more than installing tile or carpeting, although those who have good carpentry skills and the tools needed can usually accomplish this project.

 Because solid wood flooring is not cheap, you want to make sure that it is installed correctly by those who know what they are doing in the field and are better off to at least get help from someone who has the tools and has installed this type of flooring before.

A carpenter can usually install wood flooring in a home with no problem at all and usually has all the tools needed to not only install the floor, but make sure that the underlay is in good condition as well as the trim and the shoe that goes on the bottom of the floor.

 If you are looking for a way to make sure that you update your home so that it looks more attractive as well as will have flooring that will last a longer period of time, then you should look for wood flooring for your home. You can go online and take a look at the options that are available when it comes to solid wood flooring for your home and then take your pick as to which is the right one for you.

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The Best Hardwood Floor Vacuum Cleaner That Will Help You to Save Time and Money

Hardwood vacuum cleaners are getting more and more popular due to the rise of the amount of households opting for laminate, tiled and hard wood flooring. If you have any hard wood floors in your house or home then its recommended that you always use a vacuum cleaner that has been specially designed for that particular type of flooring otherwise using your standard house vacuum could lead to damage and scratches on the floor.

Your also best to stay clear from vacuums that have beater bars or ones which have tough bristles that are stubbly. There are many different makes and models on today`s markets with new models constantly being released which offer more helpful features that will make your cleaning faster and easier and provides better results.

Best Way to Clean Hardwood Floors

You have a choice of portable or cordless hardwood vacuums which are certainly very handy for quick clean ups around the home. Some models often work off of an attached battery which will not only make your vacuuming easier and faster but you will be saving money on electric as well. One of the most popular types of hardwood vacuums available is the swivel sweeper vacuum which is a very hot portable vacuum currently on the market.

These handy little sweepers are powered by a small battery which is attached to your sweeper which usually lasts for around 35 - 45 minutes if charged properly. They have a 360 degree rotating head as well which helps you to get in between furniture and in places where you normal vacuum would struggle.

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Selecting the Best Hardwood Flooring

When it comes to choosing a floor for your home, you want the best. You want a floor that will be pleasant to look at and one that will give you that cozy and homely feel. Hardwood flooring offers this and more. Hardwood floors give your home a feel of elegance and class. The pros of hardwood floors include the ease of cleaning and their durability all the while providing that air of nobility.

If you do opt to use hardwood, it is important that you follow a certain set of tips so that you can achieve the look that is most suited to your requirements and expectation.

Budget and theme
Consider your budget and the theme you have in mind. Hard wood can be expensive. This means that it is essential to set your budget to ensure that you do not end up with incomplete flooring and penniless at the same time. Note though that there are different types of hardwood floorings and varieties to meet the needs of any budget. As you do this, determine your theme.

Determining the theme and budget ensures you do not start to plan with a particular theme in mind only to realize later it is beyond your budget. Take time to do the research on your theme because once done, you will have to live with the floor for a long time. Research online, look at home decor magazines or seek the help of an interior designer.

Wood varieties and color
Hard woods come in various types and varieties. The most common ones are Red and white oak, Brazilian and American Cherry and Hard Maple. When choosing a particular type of wood, consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. This would be in areas such as hardness, color, resistance to temperature fluctuations and more.

Remember that while oak may be durable, its color may not please you. Your choice of wood will also be determined by your theme. Different species of hard wood come in different natural colours. Of course, one can opt to paint the wood to accommodate their theme but the wear and tear that floors are subjected to will make maintaining the quality of the floor difficult.

Typically, hardwood flooring colors range from light and dark browns to burgundies and tan red.
Traffic and environment When choosing the wood, consider the amount of traffic in your home. If your home has many occupants or you would categorize your visitor numbers as above average relative to other households, then the wood you select has to have the longevity to bear the wear that the heavy traffic entails.

The wood color can change when subjected to heavy foot traffic. The temperature and environment of your home is also a very important factor. Certain types of hardwood do shrink and expand when subjected to wide temperature fluctuations. This inevitably causes the wood to weaken and crack overtime.

Finishing and flooring
Another important factor to consider for your hard wood floor, is the finishing and flooring. There are two types of finishing: the 'unfinished' and the 'finished'. The finished is the most commonly used as it comes ready to install.

The unfinished is suited for those people who want to achieve a more unique personalized look; you can coat or sand the hard wood pieces according to your needs and design preference. When it comes to flooring, the common types of flooring include, solid wood flooring and the engineered flooring; the most popular is the latter, as it is less expensive and more durable.

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