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Choices || Species || Custom || Finishes || Cuts || Cleaning || Recycled
Wood flooring is available in a number of sizes and make-ups, each offering its own distinct advantages. People are often surprised by the limitless choices that wood flooring affords them. Today's wood flooring is right for virtually every room. Choosing the right kind and style of wood flooring is not hard if you are familiar with several industry terms.
Choice
#1: Unfinished wood flooring:
Unfinished flooring is a product that must be job-site sanded and finished
after installation.
Choice
#2: Pre-finished wood flooring:
Pre-finished flooring is factory sanded and finished flooring that only needs
installation.
Choice
#3: Solid wood flooring:
Solid wood flooring is completely lumber. It is available in unfinished and
pre-finished. Solid wood flooring is produced in:
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Strip - in thicknesses of 5/16" to 3/4" in widths of 1 1/2, 2" and 2 1/4" |
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Plank - in thicknesses of 1/2" or 3/4" and widths of 3" to 8" |
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Parquet - geometrical patterns composed of individual wood slats held in place by mechanical fastening or an adhesive |
Choice
#4: Engineered wood flooring:
Laminate wood flooring is produced by bonding layers of veneer and lumber
with an adhesive. Laminate wood flooring is available in pre-finished and
unfinished. These products are more dimensionally stable and are ideal for
glue-down installation or float-in installation above grade, on grade or below
grade, including basements and humid climates. Laminate wood flooring is produced
in:
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Strip - thicknesses of 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or 5/8" and in widths of 2" and 2 1/4" |
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Plank - thicknesses of 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or 5/8" and in widths of 3" to 8" |
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Parquet - one-piece wood tile available in 9" x 9" or 8" x 8" and other patterns |
Choice #5: Acrylic
impregnated wood flooring:
Acrylic impregnated is a pre-finished wood flooring product. Through a high-pressure
treatment, acrylic and color are forced into the pores throughout the thickness
of the wood. The "finish" is inside the wood, creating an extremely
hard surface. These floors are highly resistant to abrasion and moisture and
appeal most often to commercial customers but are also used residentially.
Acrylic impregnated floors are available in the same styles as laminate floors.
The appearance of the wood determines how it is "graded." All grades are equally strong and serviceable, yet afford the consumer different looks. Oak and ash have four basic grades.
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"Clear" is free of defects though it may have minor imperfections. |
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"Select" is almost clear, but contains more natural characteristics such as knots and color variations. |
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"Common" grades (No. 1 and No. 2) have more markings than either clear or select and are often chosen because of these natural features and the character they bring to a room. No. 1 Common has a variegated appearance, light and dark colors, knots, flags and worm holes. No 2 Common is rustic in appearance and allow all wood characteristics of the species. |
Hard maple, beech, birch and pecan have three grades:
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"First" has the best appearance, natural color variations and limited character marks. |
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"Second" is variegated in appearance with varying sound wood characteristics of species. |
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"Third" is rustic in appearance allowing all wood characteristics of the species. |
Custom designs can give a homeowner a "one-of-a-kind" floor and are a wonderful way to put a splash of personality and individual character in a home.
Mixed Media - By combining wood with several different media such as slate, stone, marble, metal or ceramic tile, floor designs and patterns come to life. Adding detail with paint is another alternative. Designs properly applied will enhance and differentiate any wood floor. Use a solid gloss or semi-gloss paint to make stripes, checkerboards, stenciled borders or even flower or animal scenes. The paint must be compatible with the finish and the floor must have two coats of finish over the paint.
Mixing Species - Mixing wood species is another way to create contrast in wood flooring. Oak is not the only wood type being used today. Maple, birch, walnut, Brazilian cherry, mahogany, ash and many other species offer unique grain and color specs.
Affordable
Custom Floors - A floor refinisher can use different wood stains to
create fool-the-eye inlays, pinstripes or borders. A simple brass inlay around
a fire place is a cost-effective way to add that value-added touch. Or ready-to-lay,
prefabricated wood tiles with medallions, star bursts and elaborate borders
are available through wood flooring dealers. These pre-fabricated tiles allow
homeowners to mix and match to create their own patterns and designs.
Cuts
Plainsawn is the most common cut. The board contains more variation
than the other two cuts because figure patterns resulting from the growth
rings are more conspicuous.
Quartersawing produces less board feet per log than plainsawing and is therefore more expensive. Quartersawn wood twists and cups less and wears more evenly.
Riftsawn
is similar to quartersawing, but the cut is
made at a slightly different angle.
Surface Finishes - Surface finishes are very
popular today because they are durable, water-resistant and require minimal
maintenance. Surface finishes are blends of synthetic resins. These finishes
most often referred to as urethanes or polyurethanes remain on the surface
of the wood and form a protective coating. They are generally available in
high-gloss, semi-gloss, satin and matte. Any one of the surface finishes are
appropriate for the kitchen.
There are basically four types of surface finishes:
Penetrating Stain and Wax - This finish soaks into the pores of the wood and hardens to form a protective penetrating seal. The wax gives a low-gloss satin sheen. It is generally maintained with additional thin applications of wax. Only solvent-based (never water-based) waxes, buffing pastes or cleaning liquids (specifically made for wax-finished, wood floors) should be used.
For surface finishes, including urethanes:
Keep grit off the floor, dust mop or vacuum regularly and keep doormats clean. Wipe up spills promptly with a dry cloth. Use a slightly dampened cloth for sticky spills.
For general cleaning (if the manufacturer is not known) use a generic hardwood floor cleaner, available at your local retail wood flooring store. If the luster does not return to traffic areas, the floor may require recoating. Consult your wood floor professional for this process.
Do NOT wax a urethane finished floor. Waxing a urethane finished floor will cause the wood floor to be slippery, requiring continuous waxing as your maintenance, and any re-surfacing will require a full sanding process.
Acrylic impregnated floors require a spray and buff system as recommended by the manufacturer.
For waxed floors:
Keep grit off the floor, dust mop or vacuum regularly and keep doormats clean. Wipe up spills promptly with a dry cloth or dry paper towel, use a slightly dampened cloth for sticky spills and buff with a dry cloth to restore luster. When the floor looks dull, buff first to see if luster can be restored before waxing. When areas of heavy use no longer respond to buffing, wax only those areas and buff the entire floor to an even luster.
When the whole floor needs attention, clean the floor with a solvent based wood floor cleaner and then wax. Your floor should only need to be completely rewaxed once or twice a year depending on traffic.
Cleaning a waxed floor with water will leave white water marks. For additional information on cleaning and maintenance. visit the Caring for Wood Floors Section of the National Wood Flooring Organization's website.
RecycledRecycled and reclaimed wood is yet another specialty wood flooring option. Most of this wood is long-leaf heart pine, American chestnut or red/white oak purchased from the demolition sites of old homes, mills, ships, warehouses and barns.
Flooring made from recycled wood has the natural beauty of knots, flags, worm holes, color variations and other character marks. From years of aging, this wood flooring has a rich patina that becomes more beautiful each year.
A newer floor can acquire the antique look through distressed hand scraping, smooth hand scraping or hand fluting. Hand scraping can create a classic floor that wears like iron and it is the truest way a new floor can attain the look of a genuine 100- or 200- year-old floor.
Information Provided by the National Wood Flooring Association
