Comprehensive Hardwood Floor Selection Guide

When it comes to making a hardwood floor selection it can be quite tricky. You need to understand the type and grade of hardwood before making a choice. It is vital because there are several options available in Utah, Salt Lake locally and to make a proper choice there are many factors which you need to consider.

You can enhance the décor of your home and office using the best hardwood flooring. You can get it from the best flooring companies in Utah. All you have to do is take in consideration the construction type, the species, installation type, color, and style. You also have to decide whether you need a prefinished wood or unfinished wood.  Here is the comprehensive guide to select the best hardwood floor for your space.

First, consider the type of wood:

Solid: For solid hardwood 3/4″ is the standard thickness and for a thin profile standard thickness is 5/16″. Planks can be sawn in three ways and it affects the stability of hardwood along with the price.

➢ Flat or plain Sawn wood is the most common one and it gives more variations.

➢ Quarter Sawn cuts the log in quarters before the strips of wood are cut to make hardwood boards.

➢ Rift sawn helps to cut a log at a different angle unlike the quarter sawn before the wood is cut into hardwood flooring boards. It is more expensive, but more stable and decorative at the same time.

Engineered wood: Engineered hardwood is less expensive than solid hardwood and it is made by sticking a real hardwood veneer to the core board that is made of high-density fiberboard or plywood. It is more dimensionally stable as it doesn’t expand or contract when temperature level changes or humidity increases.  Also it can be installed over radiant heat and concrete subfloor.

 

Engineered wooden floors of less than 2mm cannot be refinished or sanded.  Even hands craped engineered floors cannot be refinished or sanded no matter what is their thickness level. An engineered floor that has a veneer thickness of 2mm to 2.5mm can be sanded and refinished, but it is better to leave it to professionals.

Acrylic Impregnated floors: These type of floors have acrylic compounds injected directly into the wood and result in a strong quality wood which is more durable. Though these floors are used in offices, it is a good option for those homes where the traffic is more. It can take more moisture than the standard hardwood flooring.

Reclaimed or recycled wood: This type of wood is unique as it is made of reclaimed wood. The wood is reclaimed from the logs that are salvaged from rivers or lakes, sunken boats, etc. If you want a sustainable flooring option then this is a good choice.

Grades:

There is no universal method of grading the hardwood floors. Only to certain domestic species, the grading system created by the National Wood Flooring Association is applied. Moreover, grading is done on the basis of look rather than quality. A lot of manufacturers use their own grading system depending on stability, quality, and durability of the wood. For engineered hardwood, many sellers do not give grading information.

So, you need to analyze your needs before choosing the hardwood floor. Whether you are using Hardwood Floors for kitchen and living room or bedroom and dining area. For a prefinished hardwood product you will see the grades given below:

The best grade for a hardwood floor is the clear grade because you can get some color variations, the length of the board is not varied widely and there are less or no visible knots or pinholes. The other grade is select and better. In this, you can get a lot of color options, and a good amount of variation in length. Next is cabin grade which is for those who need a rough-hewn look on the hardwood floor. There are no knotholes or splits in this. Shorts have a visible character that has many pinholes, knots and color variations.

 

Conclusion:

So, this guide will help you make a decent selection. If you need more details to check online or consult a legitimate hardwood flooring company in Utah. They can advise you about the wooden flooring you are thinking to install and give better suggestions as well. The flooring company can help in refinishing old hardwood floors or install a new one as per your requirements.