You have finally decided that you want a hardwood floor in your home or a specific room in your home or office. You may be redecorating and sprucing up the property, or you may be moving in and putting your stamp on the place. Lucky for you, hardwood flooring comes with many options. Firstly, there is the type of wood – White oak and Red Oak, Maple, and Cherry are just a few of the different options available to you.
Each wood comes in distinct colors and a range of hardness to suit a variety of options and you can decide if you want solid or engineered wood, the latter being a compression of many layers of ply that are stronger and not as costly.
Since there are so many flooring types out there, the decision on what flooring type to buy can be a bit overwhelming. Rest assured, your decision to purchase hardwood flooring is undoubtedly worth it and will give you satisfaction.
However, this is just the tip of the iceberg as there are many decisions that you’re going to have to make. Here are the factors you need to consider:
Species of Wood
The species of wood or the type of Hardwood Floors is one of the first considerations that you will need to take into account when shopping for new hardwood floors. There are so many species of hardwood that you need to narrow down your choices to specifics. Each species of hardwood has unique characteristics, including strengths, colors, and particular grains. To provide your floors with a distinctive flair, you can also consider unusual or luxurious hardwood species, such as Herringbone and Hickory.
Style of your Home
When going for hardwood flooring installation, yet another critical factor is the style of your home. Try to take all interior elements of your home into account, including cabinets, trim work along with any other design elements that should match the floor. Keep in mind that the shades of hardwood that mix lighter & darker pieces go very well with a traditional style. We at Supreme Hardwood Floors, Inc. commonly suggest many popular combinations, but you can come up with different ideas for some impressive results!
The current floor structures
This will depend on your existing flooring and whether it is for the ground floor or upper level—also, the type of subfloor you have matters. A subfloor is generally constructed of concrete, plywood, or particleboard. It would be best if hardwood is not installed directly on top of a concrete floor; hence we never do that.
Reclaimed Solid Hardwood Flooring Vs. New Wood
What is reclaimed hardwood flooring? Reclaimed hardwood flooring at Supreme Hardwood Floors, Inc. is reclaimed from old barns, rural structures, buildings & other sustainable sources of reclaimed timber; the wood is then shaped into new flooring materials. Since the wood is recycled, it is a sustainable, eco-friendly flooring option.
The usage of the particular area
Where are you installing your new hardwood floor? Is it your bedroom, your living room, or a room that you use for entertainment and save for special occasions, or is it the kid’s playroom? Hardwood Floors can withstand different amounts of wear and tear. If your child is going to be rolling cars along with it or has a habit of drawing on the floors or maybe leaning on the floor while writing, solid hardwood flooring can withstand a lot, but you better be careful.
Does it need to match adjoining floors?
Are you only looking at installing a hardwood floor in just one room? If that’s the case, does it need to match the rest of the property? If it’s going to run into a space that already has a solid floor, do you like to match the flooring, or will the run-through look odd and mismatched?
You may need to match the color and the size of the boards as closely as possible. We at Supreme Hardwood Floors, Inc. ensure that you know all the flooring options available to you.
The lighting in the room
Other features of the room are essential to consider, as well. Light floors combined with light walls will enhance the sense of space, while a dark floor will ground your room. Dark floors coupled with dark walls may diminish the room – but can bring warmth and coziness. Meanwhile, installing your floor lengthwise will accentuate the shape of the room.
Are you flooring a dark room, with not much light available? If that’s the case, try and create more of a lighter feel by considering a lighter wood. Putting down a black floor doesn’t look that good in a room that is already limited when it comes to light.
Moreover, is the rest of your room and the décor light & airy, or does it need to match a theme? Or are you planning on decorating to match the floor or vice versa? Different woods have different colors, but if you like the look and feel of a particular wood that may be relatively light, you can, of course, ask us to stain it darker.
In which direction should I install the Hardwood floor?
It usually depends on the type of light you have in your room. Natural light, the direction it is coming from & the size of the windows all affect the perception of the floor. The general rule is to install your hardwood flooring lengthwise towards the window. If your room is long & narrow with windows placed lengthwise, you’ll have to decide for yourself what you feel is more important to accentuate the shape of the floor or light.
Your Everyday Lifestyle
Another factor you should consider when buying hardwood floors is your everyday lifestyle in your home. For instance, if you have kids or pets in your home, your floors might experience more wear and tear. If so, you should go with a type of wood species that is strong and durable. Many homeowners prefer Red Oak because of it being heavy-duty, and the prices being quite reasonable too.
Maintenance vs. appearance of the floor
What’s more important to you, the maintenance and upkeep of the floor, or its appearance? Go for a pre-finished hardwood floor if you want something that you can just put the vacuum over, and won’t take much maintenance.
This type of floor has several coats of protection. It’ll also have a glossy finish, though, so if you’re more concerned about appearance, then certainly go for a more natural finish. Also, if you can’t figure out whether it’s time to get your hardwood flooring sanded and refinished, read this.
Type of Subfloor in Your Home
You may also want to install a particular type of hardwood flooring based on the subfloor in your home, which usually is plywood, particleboard, or a concrete slab. If you have a subfloor with a particle board, you’ll need to replace it with plywood before installing hardwood floors because if you have a plywood subfloor, you can use both solid hardwood floors or engineered hardwood floors. Concrete slab floors also require plywood installation before installing hardwood floors.
Do they have low in VOC finishes and adhesives?
VOCs, or Volatile organic compounds, are gases that are harmful to humans. They are found in sprays, paints, supplies, preservatives, and many more manufactured products. These pose a danger to our health, and some health effects include headaches, loss of coordination, eye, nose, and throat irritation, and nausea.
The good news is that hardwood flooring is proven to have low VOC finishes and adhesives. Hardwood flooring (at least the US-made hardwood flooring), compared to other types of flooring like carpets, and vinyl flooring, was found to have tiny amounts of volatile organic compounds.
Protect your family with a health-friendly flooring!
Your budget
Trying to decide your budget is not that difficult. How often is it that you buy something that you know will last 20 years or more? This is the time to spend the money and get the flooring you want. You understand that the higher your budget, the more options and quality choices you have, but most types of hardwood are affordable and shouldn’t break the bank, it does, however, speak volumes in the style stakes
Have any further questions? Supreme Hardwood Floors, Inc is there to help you
Of course, with so many options and factors to consider, you may want some assistance and sound advice to aid you with your decision-making. When it comes to advice, you can speak to Supreme Hardwood’s experts who will offer you the best opinions based on more than 15 years of experience.
Now that you know about the factors that you should consider when buying hardwood flooring for your home, check out our gallery at Supreme Hardwood Floors, Inc. and get in touch with us; we look forward to doing business with you soon!
