Wood Flooring

Wood flooring can provide a very unique look to your house.  If it is a rustic feeling that you’re trying to achieve, wood is definitely the way to go.  It comes in a vast array of choices that can

fit any décor.  There is no need to get real wood sanded and stained anymore.  There are so many more practical choices that make for an easy process.

One of the more popular segments of wood is engineered wooden floor.  This type of wood is already pre-finished from the factory.  It makes for an easy installation and a pretty clean one as well.  Wood flooring can range anywhere from $2.00 to $25.00 per foot.  Some of the more elegant, hand-scraped woods are very pricey.  There is a wood flooring that can fit almost anyone’s budget. 

Wood flooring can go throughout the entire house.  Many people will just put it in certain areas of a house, like a living area, which is fine, too.  It’s pretty much a matter of preference.  Make sure what you want a certain area to look like before you go to the flooring store. 

Once you decide that you want to get wood flooring, the different options are limitless.  You can get a very dark wood floor or a light blond color.  Don’t try to match the other woods in your house exactly.  You probably won’t be able to and it will look like you’re trying too hard.  Go for a complimentary color that you can tell is a little bit different.

Wood installation differs depending on what type of wood you bought and what sub-floor you’re installing upon.  If you’re installing on a concrete slab, you generally have to glue the wood down.  Be prepared to pay a little extra for the glue as well.  The wood usually locks into the boards beside it.  The installer will try to go for a staggered look in most cases, so all the boards don’t end at the same spot.  Another method of installation is the staple down.  This is possible if you’re installing over a wood sub-floor, but it depends on which product you buy.  Yet another method is the floating floor installation.  This is when the wood is installed almost as if it were a laminate.  It isn’t connected to the sub-floor, but to the boards touching it.  It basically is laid on top of a padding and then adjoined to the other boards.  It runs up to the wall to hold it in place. 

One disadvantage of wood is its high likelihood of expanding and contracting.  There is a high rate of repairs needed on some wood floors.  The different seasons make the floor move and may require boards to be replaced occasionally.  It’s also not a good floor for really wet areas, like the bathroom.  Water and wood don’t mix.  The water can warp the boards and cause all kinds of problems.  Before you buy, make sure wood flooring is for you.