Hardwood flooring has been used in homes and commercial buildings for centuries. It is widely considered one of the most attractive and durable types of floor covering available today. Hardwood flooring is basically any product made from wood which is specifically designed for use as interior flooring, either purely decorative or functional. Wood is also a popular choice as a floor covering material and can come in different species, shades, cuts, and types. The following are some of the most popular types of hardwood flooring.
Prefinished hardwood flooring comes pre-finished, meaning the purchaser simply needs to provide the floating surface with a coat of urethane and finish it using a particular wood stain. The surface of the prefinished hardwood flooring can be sanded to a certain degree before it is stained. Once the stain is applied, all that's left for the homeowner to do is to apply the custom finishing. Most manufacturers of prefinished hardwood flooring will provide free installation, but there may be a few that require a small charge for installation and a flat rate for finishing. This flat rate is generally less expensive than other finished methods.
Pre-finished commercial hardwood flooring comes in two basic varieties: solid and planks. A solid hardwood flooring system consists of planks of varying sizes that are joined together by either nails or glue. Planks can also be "veneering" to increase the appearance of the individual boards. This method of installation is highly inefficient, though, as planks that are not properly glued or nailed together will be uneven in appearance and often warp. The planks can also suffer from the growth of bacterial or fungal growth under the surface of the boards. This growth tends to cause problems with the overall strength of the boards.
Many homeowners prefer the look of solid wood flooring over planks because it can be installed quickly, requiring little or no installation processes. The installation process itself, however, is much more involved than simply installing planks in an unvarnished manner. Nails and glue need to be used to permanently attach each plank to its neighbors. Also, because it takes longer to dry the planks, solid wood floors typically take longer to install than carpeting. You can take a look about hardwood flooring now!
Another popular type of hardwood flooring that has become popular in recent years is the use of engineered wood floor finishing. The idea behind this type of finish is to provide a wood-like appearance, but using genuine oak chips or pieces of oak that have been handpicked. By doing this, the finish looks completely natural-although some say that it lacks the natural appearance of natural oak. Many homeowners, however, appreciate the fact that the finish is not subject to the elements, although it is important to remember that most hardwood floor finishing comes with a protective, treated lacquer that provides protection against dust and moisture. This extra layer of protection makes it possible for the finish to last for decades, rather than just a few years as is often the case with carpet finishes.
Finally, hardwood floors may need to be repainted from time to time. Depending on the color of the boards and the manufacturer of the boards themselves, a homeowner may need to remove a small amount of old stain, sand the boards, and then re-stain and finish the boards. Also depending on the manufacturer, the homeowner may need to refinish only part of the planks in order to get the entire planks looking their best. In some cases, all the planks in a room may need to be refinished, which could result in large cost savings if the entire room was redone. If you want to know more about this topic, then click here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_flooring.
