Choosing The Right Hardwood Floor

Make Your Floor Choice

Wood flooring comes in a wide range of colors, species, widths, finishes, and patterns. It’s all a matter of taste, but keep in mind that a wood floor is for life and a good specialist can help choose the best floor for you.

Color

A stained floor gives a unique feel to each room. Be sure to select stains that will match different décors (especially for exotic woods and natural stains), since your wood floor will outlast any trend in home fashion. But remember that stained wood can be sanded more than once, restained, and refinished to restore the original color of the species or even choose a new one.

Wood Specie

Each wood species has its own grain, color, and veining. Your choice of species depends on your personal preferences and the effect you want to achieve. The most popular species are oak and maple, followed by yellow birch, white ash, beech, cherry, and walnut. Exotic woods, which are very warm in color and extremely solid, are also available.

Below are the American Classic hardwood species commonly offered in hardwood flooring. These are their natural, unstained wood colors. The numbers in parenthesis below the name represent the Janka hardness for each wood specie.

Below are some of the most popular Exotic hardwood species used in hardwood flooring. The exotic wood species are imported from various countries around the World. Note the wonderful, natural brown tones and striking reds and yellows within these wood species. This can really add richness and charm to any room.

Gloss

There are three main types of gloss on the market: high-gloss, semi-gloss, and matte. A very bright finish tends to highlight marks, while a matte or satin finish makes them less noticeable and delivers long-lasting beauty.

Grade

Grading is a means of rating boards according to variations in the wood’s natural color. For example, “Select & Better” grade woods are more uniform in color than “Exclusive” grade, which present greater, more pronounced natural color variation.

Positioning

Your wood flooring should ideally be installed at a right angle to your subfloor joists. But you should also consider the shape and size of the room. For example, installing the boards lengthwise may make a long room look even longer, and it may be more flattering to lay the boards diagonally. If you like an original look, choose a floor with patterns.

Abrasive particles like dirt, sand or gravel gather on the surface of your wood floors, making them look dull and causing scratches. Mats, runners or area rugs placed near entryways help catch dirt where it enters. In fact, doormats can eliminate 80 percent of the dirt tracked inside a home. To start, clean up food and water spills immediately. Then make sure to mop and vacuum frequently. Mop the floor with a cleaner especially made for the type of hardwood floors that you have installed. If you use the wrong cleaner, it won't adhere to the finish as well and could cause the floor to peel." Looking for a chemical-free approach? Invest in a steam cleaner. Or kick it up a notch with a combination vacuum/steam mop.

width

Boards are generally available in standard widths of 2 1/4" [57 mm], 2 1/2" [64 mm], and 3 1/4" [83 mm]. Widths of up to 5" [127 mm] are becoming increasingly popular. Your choice will depend on the effect you want to create. Thinner boards make a room look longer, while wider boards make it appear shorter. Remember, however, that a tight grained wood like maple expands with humidity, which may make thinner boards preferable for some uses.

Accesories

Installing a hardwood floor usually requires much more than just prefinished hardwood boards. You’ll surely need edgings, stairway nosings, vent flashings, and moldings to join with the walls. Make sure you can get these basic accessories in the same stain and gloss as your flooring.

Add it up

To figure out how much your floor will cost, calculate the room's square footage, then add five to 10 percent for cuts and waste. Multiply this figure by the board's square-foot price to get your cost. Don't forget to add on a few extra bucks for door thresholds, shoe moldings, and any nails or staples you might need.

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