Hardwood Floors Species: the Luxury of Choice in Flooring

Hardwood Flooring is an option for floors that present a range of choice for the consumer to consider. One such choice is that of species. Some species are very hard, and stand to be a notably durable choice. Others are less hard, but more forgiving when sawed or nailed to a subfloor. Some species of hardwood have colors which remain more or less constant. Others exhibit “photosensitivity”, which means that the color of the hardwood flooring species changes as it is exposed to light. Here is a selected list of species common for use as hardwood flooring:

• Red and White Oak – These species are naturally pale in color, with hints of pink running through the Red Oak. Both are known for their utility across all kinds of applications. White Oak is known to be slightly harder than red oak, although red oak in turn is slightly easier to saw and nail.

• American Cherry – Used for cabinet making as well as flooring, American Cherry is known to be an attractive species that is very easy to work with. It is not as hard as either red or white oak, but offers a greater tonal range of color that darkens over time to become even more rich in tone, due to photosensitivity.

• Hard Maple – Harder still than oak, the uniform texture of maple as well as its naturally abrasion-resistant surface makes it an excellent choice for hardwood flooring. Early North American settlers relied upon maple for its hardy nature, and it continues to be popular today.

• Brazilian Cherry AKA Jatoba – One of most notable features of this exotic species is its color – a rich, reddish brown that eventually ages into a lustrous burgundy. Another important as aspect of Jataba is how hard it is; it is harder than some species of mahogany. So for look as well as durability, Brazilian Cherry excels.


Hardness of hardwood species used for flooring – The Janka Hardness Scale

The Janka hardness scale is a common reference for judging the hardness of each hardwood species. The scale is based on a test that presses a .444 inch steel ball into the tested hardwood species at a constant pressure. In the simplest terms, the measurement of the scale rating is in accordance with how deep the ball is embedded into the wood – the deeper the ball, the softer is the wood. Listed here are some of the more popular species of hardwood used in flooring that have been rated according to the Janka test. The lower the score, the softer the wood.

American Black Cherry - 950
American BlackWalnut- 1010
Yellow Birch- 1260
Red Oak- 1290
White Ash- 1320
White Oak- 1360
Hard Maple- 1450
Santos Mahogany- 2200
Brazilian Cherry- 2345
Brazilian Teak- 3540
Brazilian Walnut- 3680
Ebony- 3692

Along with the advantages of appearance, hardwood is and continues to be a choice in flooring that can add structural strength to a residence or office, whatever the species. Whatever your requirement, hardwood flooring presents an option in floors that enable you to choose the perfect look, texture, and general effect.

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Benefits Of Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is a beautiful alternative to hardwood. This type of flooring is becoming very popular for its decorative value and because it is one of the most environmentally friendly materials currently used. Major manufacturers, such as Armstrong flooring, Columbia flooring and Mohawk flooring offer a bamboo product.

Bamboo is nearly as strong as steel. It is much stronger than any other material used in discount wood flooring. This durability makes bamboo perfect for use on floors. It is stronger than linoleum flooring and more comfortable to walk on than stone flooring. The weight, feel and density of this material are nearly the same as real hardwood.

Floors can be made of solid bamboo or be an engineered product. This means the bamboo is combined with another type of wood. Most often, engineered materials contain a bamboo surface with a plywood core. The bamboo can be stained and given a coat of urethane, as you would with any other hardwood.

These floors are installed like other hardwood floors. They are most often nailed or glued to the sub floor. Newer products are made to work like laminate flooring where the pieces lock together and create a floating floor. These don’t need to be nailed or glued in place.

The sub floor needs to be level prior to installation. If it isn’t level, asphalt shingles can be used to level it out. Make sure the sub floor material is completely dry and there is no moisture, which could damage the new floor.

Bamboo Flooring: Environmentally Friendly

More people are becoming concerned about the depletion of the hardwood forests on our planet. Many tree species take generations or may years to grow, such as walnut or oak. There is not enough replanting and even when new trees are planted, they can’t grow fast enough to satisfy the demand. Efforts are being made to prevent the deforestation of the rainforests.

Bamboo grows much faster than any tree used in manufacturing wood flooring. Plants only take five years to become mature. After they are harvested, new shoots begin to grow almost immediately. This happens automatically with no need for replanting.

Caring for Bamboo Flooring

Remove dust and dirt with a broom or dust mop. You can clean the floor using a water and vinegar solution containing 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar. To do this, use a barely damp sponge mop. Dry the floor right away with a towel. Don’t allow the floor to become soaking wet, as this can damage the bamboo.

Use a damp cloth for occasional spills or sticky spots. After you wipe up the spill, dry it with a towel right away. If the floor becomes dull, you can buff it with a buff sander to restore the shine. With proper care, your new floor will last for many years to come.

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Engineered Hardwood Floors

Rather than having one solid piece of Bruce hardwood, the engineered hardwood method uses layers of hardwood veneer to create a product that can range in thickness from 3/8" up to 9/16" thick. The wood veneer can range in thickness depending on the manufacturer. In order to create an engineered hardwood, these veneer layers are stacked on top of each other with the grain of the wood facing perpendicular to each other. By doing this, the engineered hardwood becomes less susceptible to the effects of moisture and temperature change. Once the desired thickness is achieved, the boards are then cut into the correct board width. From there, the boards are then manufactured to have a tongue or groove on the edges. The final step is to add stain if necessary, and add a finish. Because of this, engineered hardwood is denoted as being dimensionally stable, as opposed to solid hardwood flooring, which is not.

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Solid Hardwood Flooring

Solid hardwoods are typically 3/4" thick, although some do come in 3/8" or 5/16" thicknesses. This type of hardwood flooring can be installed with a nail-down installation method over wood sub flooring. This type of hardwood is also very susceptible to the effects of moisture and temperature, because hardwoods expand and contract with moisture and temperature changes in the atmosphere. Since hardwoods expand and contract in the width of the grain, this type of hardwood flooring is not recommended to be installed over a concrete slab, unless otherwise stated by the manufacturer. There are some instances where 3/8" thick solid hardwood can be installed on a concrete slab.

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flooring guide

Basement Floors
BasementFlooringThe Low Down On Basement FlooringFor decades, basements were considered to be little more than storage rooms, largely unfinished concrete floors and walls, areas where old clothes, toys, tools, boxes of stuff and anything else that was not immediately wanted could be stored. Basement flooring was never even thought about, since no one ever spent much time there. So most basement flooring consisted of the original concrete slab and nothing else.A few years ago people began to realize that they had a useful additional space that, with the application of some gyprock to the walls and ceiling, some paint and some form of basement flooring, could be transformed into an additional living room or rooms. The addition of furniture, perhaps a bar and/or a media center and you have a wonderful entertainment area. A self contained suite or additional family bedrooms are also options that come to mind. Thereis an old saying: Clothes maketh the man. In the same vein, décor maketh the house. And since there are, sometimes, no windows in a basement for drapes and fashion blinds, the flooring in the basement will be the basis upon which the whole area will be judged for its looks. You do not have

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to sacrifice style when choosing the floors for your basement because there is such a wide choice of floorings, materials, paints and prices available. TypesOf Basement FlooringThe basement can be remodeled like any other part of your home. It can be made to suit your style. You do not have to stick with any particula rtype of flooring for your basement, you have a number of choices. 1) Laminate flooring is most likely the choice that first comes to mind for the basement. It is budget friendly and easy to install, even by a handyman. It is an easy care product, and aside from the general sweeping and mopping there is not much else to do. This mayalso offer some solace during get togethers or parties. The inevitable spills of cake or wine are simply wiped up without the hassles that a carpeted floor would cause.2) Carpeting is another popular choice for your basement flooring. It is possible to find low prices at many flooring warehouses. There is, of course, more cleaning and maintenance involved, but it adds a warmer, more friendly touch to the room. During colder rmonths, you will not have to use so much heat to keep the room cozy and comfortable. Carpeting can be treated to resist dirt and stains but it is not foolproof.3) Hardwood floors in a basement is not so far-fetched as one may think and certainly not impossible. There are some concerns, of course, due to the moisture that comes up from concrete or the possibility of flooding in some areas. If you choose to go for hardwood basement flooring, be sure that the flooring is properly installed over damp proofing and ask about what to do if the floor is damaged by flooding. Author: Brian McQuirkWebmaster and owner of http://www.yourfloorings.com Shop for all your flooring, cabinets, lights and decorating needs. Check it out today.

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