Solid Wood |
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As the name implies, this type of wood flooring is solid wood all the way through, from top to bottom. It's similar to any other stick of lumber that sawn straight off of the log--no additional materials added. It's usually just called "hardwood floor."
Hardwood flooring comes either unfinished or prefinished. Unfinished hardwood tends to be a little cheaper than prefinished, but does require immediate light sanding, staining (optional), and sealing after installation. With prefinished, you can walk on it right after installation. With unfinished, you need to limit usage until it has been sealed. After sealing, you will need to wait at least 48 hours for the sealant to dry. Even then, additional coats may be required. With unfinished, the advantage is you can stain it and seal it to your exact specification. With prefinished, the advantage is the quick turnaround time.
One popular hardwood is bamboo flooring (a grass rather than a hardwood, nonetheless it's usually classed as a hardwood). Bamboo flooring is highly valued for its apparent "green" and environmentally-friendly qualities. |
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| Hardwood was historically nailed to a wooden sub-floor and unlike other wood flooring options, now available, it could not be installed straight on concrete or on top of your existing floor. This has changed with the advent of stick down mat type solutions, on which the wooden flooring can now be affixed. Products such as Elastilon offer a quality floating flooring solution which not only allow for much easier installation but also have great expansion qualities similar to the wood to which it is adhered. |
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Because hardwood is especially prone to scratches and dents, you will want to pay special attention to the Janka hardness rating scale and buy a species (i.e., oak, ash, etc.) of wood appropriate to your lifestyle and your budget.
Hardwood flooring's greatest advantage is that it can be re-sanded numerous times, extending its life literally for decades. Its greatest weakness: it cannot be installed in moist areas such as basements or bathrooms.
Solid Wood offers warmth, natural beauty, durability and practicality. Each solid wood board consists of a piece of solid wood flooring which is typically between 18mm and 20mm thick. Floors Direct’s range of solid wood flooring has many different finishes, including brushed, oiled, lacquered and hand scraped. Floors Direct also has a new range of unfinished products and stained oils that can be used to create a unique look of your choice. They also offer a range of full plank designs, in a wide range of board widths.
Did you know?
Solid wood floors can be expected to last many lifetimes with appropriate care and attention. |
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