Flooring Types, Finishes, Maintenance, and more.
FLOORING TYPES:
SOLID HARDWOOD is a flooring product made from hardwood tree species like oak, maple, mahogany, hickory, and cherry. The planks are usually 5/8" to 3/4" thick. These planks can be sanded and refinished repeatedly without losing their durability. Solid hardwood planks have tongues and grooves and are nailed down to the subfloor. Solid hardwood flooring is available in a variety of colors, and the boards can be finished or unfinished.
ENGINEERED HARDWOOD consists of layers of hardwood and plywood. The multiple wood layers are placed in opposite directions to boost the material’s durability and high-performance qualities. Engineered hardwood is typically ¾ to ⅜ inches thick and consists of layers made of various materials and mimics the look and feel of solid hardwood flooring without the high maintenance needs. There’s also no risk of the floor warping, shrinking, or cupping.
LUXURY VINYL PLANK mimic straight and sawed hardwood floor designs. They are available in different wood grains, textures, and colors. Unlike hardwood plank flooring, vinyl plank flooring is water resistant, stain resistant, easy to clean and maintain, and suitable for high-traffic areas.
LAMINATE FLOORING is a popular alternative to hardwood flooring that consists of multiple synthetic materials that are bonded together. Laminate flooring is suitable for use in almost any room in a house as it’s unlikely to warp, buckle, or swell. The multiple layers of this material ensure it can withstand heavy traffic without showing signs of wear and tear and is 100% waterproof.
FINISHES:
The finish refers to the wear layer of flooring. The right finish depends on the flooring material used and the kind of finish one’s looking for, be that glossy, matte, etc. Polyurethane in general—whether water- or oil-based—is a clear thin liquid coating that both protects wood and brings out the grain in wood finishes.
WATER-BASED POLYURETHANE: Provides a clear finish with low odor. Water cleanup, and clear finish.
OIL-BASED POLYURETHANE: oil-based polyurethane gives a hard shell look with less coats than water-based polyurethane and is self-leveling meaning that it will become smooth when applied to a horizontal surface.
MAINTENANCE:
For overall care, sweep and dust off your floors daily. Clean your hardwood floors with a floor cleaner. Check out BONA products as they are usually always recommended.
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Use a dry or slightly damp cloth to immediately wipe up anything you may have spilled, avoiding wet mops, which the NWFA (National Wood Floor Association) claims will cause more damage over time.
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Use furniture pads to the legs of your chairs, sofas, tables, etc. to prevent scratches. Although sometimes inevitable, furniture pads will definitely help minimize scratches.
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Re-finish/Re-coat your floors every 3-5 years. Over time, when your wood floors start to look a little dull, they can be renewed through recoating. This involves applying a new coat of wood floor finish.
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