4 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying Hardwood Flooring

Traditional hardwood flooring have the unique ability to bring out the charm and sweetness of a home. Who can resist their rustic character and warm glow' But there's more to buying wood flooring than just choosing whether or not you want maple or oak. Ask yourself these four questions when researching hardwoods that will help you find the perfect fit for any flooring project ' large or small.

What Type of 'Look' Are You Creating?

Hardwood floors can truly 'pull' an area together ' letting you highlight a lovely piece of furniture, a work of art, or just bring an air of comfort and warmth to a space. With this in mind, you should decide which species of flooring accentuates your dcor. Many types of hardwood floors are smooth-milled, providing them with a seamless appearance. Others are purposefully antiqued or distressed to give the floors a much more 'lived-in' look that's casual and comfy ' as if your favorite couple of jeans.

Which Hardwood Flooring Style is Best for Your Needs?

You'll should decide between different styles of hardwood to get one that is the correct balance of price, durability and sweetness. Solid hardwood flooring are, naturally, complete hardwood flooring Peabody MA. There's also engineered hardwood floors, that's less expensive and works on the high-density fiberboard core with real hardwood veneer. If you have your heart set on the specific type of hardwood, you can also want to know how hard your hardwood in fact is. For example, southern Yellow Pine is 'softer' in comparison with Brazilian cherry in line with the Janka Hardness Scale.

How Much Sunlight and Foot Traffic Will the Room Get?

Certain types of hardwood flooring fare better in sunlight and won't fade or lose their luster with time. Many exotic Brazilian woods are responsive to light, just like other favorites like walnut. Some floors may have a UV protective coating added. You can also move furniture and rugs around periodically to ensure equal areas of light hit different areas of the floor, and something side isn't lighter or darker than another.

Foot visitors another consideration. Hardwood floors operate very well to foot traffic and won't show its age over time the way certain other kinds of floors, like carpet, can. For high foot-traffic areas, a harder wood like maple, hickory or oak would better handle wear and tear as opposed to a softer wood. Here again, the Janka Hardness Scale might be invaluable in assisting you to decide between durability, price and appears to obtain the perfect solution.

What Kind of Warranty Do You Need?

The right warranty can protect your hardwood floorsfor years to come. Most wood flooring come with a warranty against structural damage, plus a warranty around the finish that's used (if you have it finished). With this in mind, you'll want to find a warranty which offers you the volume of protection you will need for your particular lifestyle and also the kind of traffic your floors will be experiencing. It's worth working with a reputable hardwood floors store to make sure all your questions are answered and warranties are clearly explained.