Oak Hardwood Flooring
Oak hardwood flooring can add a great
traditional touch to any home.
For an addition of class and traditional value, hardwood
flooring is one of the best avenues. A high quality maple
or oak wood flooring can really put a new face on a home, while
also creating an elegance that is hard to equal. Hardwood
flooring is available in a wide variety of shades, colors,
patterns, and finishes. Finding the right wood flooring
for your home can be a little overwhelming, but the process is
very much worth the time. Although carpet can certainly
work in some situations, wood flooring has a traditional appeal
that pushes up home values like nothing else.
The first step is in finding out whether your home is
appropriate for wood flooring. Regions that undergo
severe weather conditions and change temperature extremes every
season, hardwood may be prone to suffering buckling and
warping. High humidity is also a significant problem when
considering wood flooring. Excess moisture can wick up
from the subfloor and into the wood through spills, leading to
warping and buckling as the years pass. Crowning and
cupping are common problems for wood flooring exposed to
moisture. When a floor crowns or cups, it bows out of
shape, most frequently in the middle of the floor. This
can result in a floor that must be replaced or sanded down to
restore its level surface.
Once you have decided that hardwood is the best solution for
you and your home, there are many options from which to
select. Maple and oak are typically seen in older homes,
while cedar gives a more rustic and natural atmosphere. A
higher gloss finish will produce a shinier surface, while a
lower gloss fits in with a more subdued atmosphere.
The thickness of the boards is also an important factor in
selecting the right wood flooring product. Thicker boards
will provide a longer lasting and more reliable surface.
Moisture is a big problem for hardwood flooring. Avoid
contact with moisture wherever possible, and clean up spills
promptly. If storing wood flooring outdoors before
installation, make certain that the wood is protected against
moisture. Clean up spills on the wood flooring
immediately in order to prevent eventual warping and
cracking. If water beads up on the surface of the
flooring, the finish of the flooring needs to be redone.
Protect your investment, and wood flooring will maintain its
value for generations.
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