Hardwood flooring has been used since the ancient times and is one of today’s most popular types of flooring. Cherry, oak, maple, ash, bamboo and other hardwoods continue to be a popular choice that brings natural characteristics into a room.
Because of durability of wood, depending on the species of trees, manufacturers can guarantee 5-25 years warranty on your floors. Therefore in the long run, the purchase of hardwood floors is a great investment to your home.
There are two principal methods of cutting lumber.
- Plain saw—gives a cathedral or pointed-arch effect.
- Quarter saw—gives a more of a straight-line appearance.
Each method has its own advantages: plain saw is the cheapest, easiest, and most economical use of wood, whereas quarter sawing gives less distortion of wood from shrinkage or warping. From each log, only 20% is plain cut and 80% quarter cut lumber.
Wood Varieties:
A crucial decision must be made when you decide to install hardwood floors are what kind of wood to choose. There are issues of both substance and style that need to be taken into account. For instance, light wood may be more appropriate in a casual setting, while dark wood lends itself to more formal surrounds. There are no hard and fast rules, simply select what catches your eye and fits into your budget. Remember that different types of woods can vary greatly in price.
Common hardwood flooring choices:
- Red oak—Red oak is the most popular flooring option in the U.S. Reddish in color with a coarse grain, it's a stiff and dense wood that resists wear, but not as well as white oak.
- White oak—White oak is brown in color but can have a grayish cast. The grain is similar to red oak, with more burls and swirls. It is harder and more durable than red oak.
- Birch –Birch can range in color from light yellow to dark brownish red. It's softer than red oak, but is still a strong wood.
- Beech—Beach has a reddish brown color and a very consistent grain. It is quite durable and has excellent shock resistance.
- Pine—Pine is a yellowish brown color and contains a lot of swirls and knots. It has a natural resistance to insects and is about as hard as red oak.
- Cherry –Cherry wood is a light brown color. Because it's a soft wood, cherry isn't often used for a whole floor. Instead, it makes an excellent decorative or accent wood.
- Douglas fir—Douglas fir is a yellowish tan color. This wood is about half as soft as red oak and can dent easily. It is only appropriate in certain flooring situations.
- Bamboo—Bamboo naturally comes in a pale honey color but stains beautifully in just about any color possible. It is a sustainable product and environmentally safe. Bamboo reaches to full maturity in as few as 5 years where as oak, 120. It also as durable and strong as oak for a cheaper price.
Types of wood flooring:
- Strip—usually 2 ¼ inches wide, strip flooring is tongue and grooved on both sides and ends. This type of flooring is most commonly made oak, although other woods may be used such as maple. Strip flooring may be laid parallel to the wall or diagonally.
- Plank—3-8 inches wide, and most installations comprise three different sizes. The widths selected should correspond to the dimensions of the room to keep the flooring in proper scale: narrower ones for small rooms and wider ones for larger rooms. Plank floors also have a tongue and groove side.
- Parquet—individual pieces of wood that are joined together to form a variety of patterns.
