Floor School : All About Hardwood

There are two basic types of hardwood flooring - solid and engineered. Engineered floors are made from layers (plies) of both hardwood and softwood, with the top layer typically a solid ply of the species. Solid hardwood flooring is not made up of any plies - it's pure solid hardwood, and typically costs less.

The main installation methods for hardwood floors are nail/staple down, glue down, and floating. The floating method is the most flexible because it allows for installations over virtually any subfloor.

Hardwood's grain patterns (the dark gray or black marks and knots of various sizes) are the result of the growth process of a particular species of wood and are influenced by sunlight, soil and climate.

You can expect to see shade changes in your floor over time. It usually comes from exposure to sunlight - the change will be more noticeable in lighter colors, which will eventually darken. Some species, like Brazilian cherry, will darken over the years just due to the natural characteristics of the wood.

Some of the different wood species used in flooring, starting with the hardest and most durable, are Brazilian Cherry, Merbau, Pecan, Maple, White Oak, Ash, Beech, Red Oak, Birch, Walnut and Teak.

Hardwood Care

To keep your hardwood floor looking beautiful, there are some simple procedures you should follow.

Vacuum regularly and use non-staining mats at exterior entrances to keep sand, dirt, grease, and oil outside.

To protect your floor's finish, use pads underneath furniture legs to help prevent scratching, and, while we're on the subject, keep all your pets nails trimmed, too. Along that same line, when moving any heavy objects (like furniture or appliances, for instance), use a dolly and protective sheets of plywood on the floor.

When cleaning the floor, always use the manufacturer's recommended cleaning procedures. Avoid getting water on the floor, too, as it may cause the wood grain to rise, or the boards to cup.

And be careful about exposure to the sun, because UV rays do the same thing to wood that they do to skin: accelerate the aging, which causes the wood stain to change color.