Solid Hardwood Flooring For Your Home
Solid hardwood floors come in three common categories. Each hardwood category is then also available in either an unfinished or pre-finished style.
Pre-finished flooring as the name suggests is all done ready to install. It is sanded and finished at the plant. It will usually be finished with either simple sealant or a stain. Whilst it allows for a swift and uncomplicated installation it can produce gaps where grime can accumulate.
Unfinished hardwood floors on the other hand, need to be sanded and finished after installation in your home. This produces a superior looking finish if installed correctly but it is definitely a more complex installation
The 3 general categories of solid hardwood flooring are:-
Plank flooring – This type of floor come in two thicknesses only, however you can get it in varying widths. Plank flooring is by and large available in thicknesses of 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch and available in a variety of widths from 3 inches to 8 inches.
Strip hard wood flooring – This kind of flooring is offered in strips or set widths. It is obtainable in widths of 1½ inches, 2 inches and 2 ¼ inches. While you can’t alter the width, the thickness of the strips can vary anywhere from about 5/16 of an inch to 3/4 of an inch wide.
Parquet flooring - Just like a mosaic of timber. Usually set in place by a bonding agent or a mechanical fastener, it is made up of small individual wood pieces. It is generally arranged in a geometrical pattern. And a well laid parquet floor can be vary eye-catching and add a new element to any room.
On top of hardwood flooring there is also a vast array of engineered wood flooring available on today’s market. An engineered wood floor is usually fabricated with a base of plywood wood, or HDF. This base core gives the floor it’s strength and hardiness. On top of this base is fixed a thin layer of your chosen hardwood species know as a veneer.
The engineered floor will look like solid hardwood but the real timber is only a thin layer. You can acquire engineered flooring with different thicknesses of laminate, the thicken the veneer the longer it will last and more it will sound like and feel like real timber. By: Bill Brennan Article Source: http://www.ArticleDashboard.com Find Bill at www.flooringandcarpets.com discussing ”flooring how to” and interesting flooring ideas.
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