The floor is one of the first things people notice when they walk into your house. It’s probably the first thing people notice, apart from your kind grin.
The flooring you choose for your house influences the entire design; it establishes the tone of your home and even influences how comfortable you are in it.
So, whether you’re constructing a new home or remodelling an existing one, the flooring you choose is one of the most essential choices you’ll make throughout the process.
When it comes to flooring, you have many alternatives to select from. You have the option of using carpet, vinyl flooring, or even tiling your home with natural stone or ceramic.
However, hardwood flooring is now the most popular or commonly recognised form of flooring. Though there are newer and more interesting forms of flooring available today, such as 3D flooring, hardwood flooring remains the flooring of choice.
However, there are several kinds of wood and materials utilised for hardwood flooring. That is why, when it comes time to pick the sort of hardwood flooring for your house, it is not only about the colour.
Several additional elements influence both the beauty and durability of the completed hardwood floor. Factors such as the wood’s material and installation quality.
1) Have your wood flooring professionally installed.
This is the era of do-it-yourself. Everyone wants to experience the exhilaration of completing their assignments on their own.
The first recommendation I’ll offer you is to hire a professional floor fitter if you’re not confident in your ability to do the task correctly.
Give it to someone who works in that field. This avoids any mistakes and provides you peace of mind, knowing that you won’t wake up to damage in your hardwood floors one morning.
2) Select the appropriate wood species and thickness.
As I previously said, not all wood flooring is the same. You do not choose the kind just by selecting the colour.
Other factors to consider are the kind or species of wood, the grain pattern of the wood, the thickness of the wood, and the surface quality of the wood.
You must also decide whether to select solid hardwood flooring or engineered hardwood, which is designed to prevent or limit wood expansion as time passes.
Another element that will influence the sort of wood you choose is the amount of traffic in the space you’re attempting to floor. For example, when flooring a busy corridor, it is advisable to select a sturdy hardwood such as oak.
For a less active or quiet place, such as a room used by one person, you may select something less hard, like as walnut, for the flooring.
The sort of subfloor you choose has an impact on the hardwood flooring you choose. Engineered hardwood flooring, for example, is simpler to install in flats or basements with concrete subfloors.
When placing solid wood over joists, however, you must ensure that the wood is at least 18mm thick in order for it to be robust enough.
3) Allow your hardwood floor to acclimate.
Just because your hard wood flooring has been delivered by the provider does not imply you are ready to utilise your pneumatic nailer.
Acclimatizing your wood is a term used to describe the process. You must basically leave the hardwood flooring in the area where it will be placed for few days (at least 7 for solid wood and 3 for engineered wood) to allow the wood to acclimatise to its new surroundings.
Wood, as you are aware, expands and shrinks in response to humidity and temperature fluctuations. If the wood is not acclimatised, the expansion or contraction might cause harm later on.
So, to acclimate your solid hardwood flooring, just leave it in the area where it will be placed for at least seven days with the packaging open.
Engineered wood does not need to be acclimatised, but to be cautious, leave it for 2 or 3 days. The installation may then begin.
4) Read and follow the flooring installation instructions.
Whatever kind of wood flooring you choose, you will get precise instructions from the provider when the flooring is delivered to you.
These instructions cover a wide range of topics, from floor preparation to the actual installation of the flooring on your floor.
The last thing you want to do is disregard the directions. You must read the directions since the manufacturer knows best, and you must adhere to best practises in order to correctly install the flooring.