Aesthetic Elements to Consider for Hardwood Flooring

After choosing strong and clean-looking hardwood flooring, you find many different choices. You can get hardwood floors in various kinds and shades. To make sure you pick a suitable wood floor, it is important to think about what styles you like and what you will use the floor for. We talk about the different design features of hardwood floors in this section.

Appearance

The appearance of a hardwood floor is affected by three key things. Its color, the pattern of the wood grain, and any differences in it. Since how the hardwood looks decides its quality level. You should choose the flooring that has an appealing look and practical beauty that can mesmerize those who see it. Here’s a list of grades to choose your flooring from:

• Clear Wood – Character marks are minimal and have a uniform appearance.
• Select Wood – Natural color variations with streaks and knots
• No. 1 Common – Light and dark color variations with knots, streaks, and wormholes.
• No 2. Common – Species-specific wood characteristics that give it a rustic appearance.
• Grade Wood shows natural color differences with only a few unique marks, giving this hardwood a consistent look similar to Select Wood.
• Second Grade Wood – It has different colors mixed in and knots that make it look not the same throughout, kind of like the No. 1. Common wood type.
• Third-grade wood has visible features of the tree kind that give it a rustic look and make it similar to number 2 common wood.

Types

You might select the kind of hardwood flooring based on your desired final appearance and the location for hardwood floor installation. Here are detailed points about various high-quality hardwood floor types.

Unfinished Wood Flooring

If you want to smooth and coat the wood where it will be installed, by your hand or with the assistance of your installer, this choice can work well. It’s practical when aiming to coordinate with already present floor designs and shades.

Factory Finished Wood Flooring

The smoothing and final touches for the wood happen at the place where it is made. Once put in place, you can step on the hardwood right away.

Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood floors, which are a single piece of timber. Have thicknesses that go from three-quarters of an inch to five-sixteenths. You can sand and refinish them many times later on and put them in place above the ground or at ground level.

Engineered Wood Flooring

This kind of wooden floor installation is created with thin layers of wood from the same or various kinds. The layers help to keep the floor stable and stop it from getting bigger or smaller when there are changes in moisture.

Finishes for Hardwood Floors

Choosing the type of finish for your wooden floor greatly affects how it will look and what care it will need over time. Here are some options available for finishes:

• Surface Finishes remain on the surface of the wood as a protective coating.
• Wax Finishes soak into the wood, forming a penetrative seal.
• Acrylic Impregnated Finishes – Injected into the wood for a hard and durable floor.
• UV-Cured Finishes – Waterborne finishes cured with UV light.
• Penetrating Oils – Natural oils blended with additives to harden the wood.

Knowing this will help you work better with your hardwood flooring installation services and you will get the best results..

Styles

Selecting the correct design features can completely transform your living area. You have a broad selection available, including different types of wood, color options, and plank sizes for choosing your hardwood flooring style. The three common floor styles are:

• Strip flooring, having a width smaller than three inches, produces a pattern. That is linear and delivers an appearance that is quite classic.
• Plank flooring, which is more than 3 inches wide, creates a straight-line appearance and offers a relaxed style.
• Parquet flooring comes in different sizes and forms geometric patterns that are not straight lines. Your selection can make it look either simple or intricate.

Why is Hardwood flooring so popular?

Solid hardwood flooring is well-liked as it lasts many years, looks very beautiful, and can adapt to different situations. It’s possible to refinish the surface if someone wants a new style. Or if there is too much damage from use. The initial cost for this type of flooring might be higher, but over time it proves to be a good investment.

• Hardwood floors do not capture allergens such as mold spores or dust, and they are safe from toxins. They need straightforward care like sweeping, using a dust mop, or vacuum cleaning to stay free of allergens and maintain their good appearance.
• Generally, hardwoods are sustainable. A report from 2008 by the US Forest Service confirmed that each year, on average, the net increase of hardwood trees is more than how many are taken away. The volume of hardwood trees in the forests of America has increased two times compared to 50 years before.
• Hardwoods are known for being materials that reduce carbon. They do not emit nitrogen oxides, methane, or different kinds of inorganic substances and they grow locally. As they are regionally sourced, they minimize their carbon footprint further.
• When you think about choosing a type of hardwood, it is good to look at its hardness level on the Janka Scale. Woods like Oak, Maple, Ash, and Cherry have strong hardness ratings and are very suitable for places where many people walk.

Conclusion

When selecting your hardwood flooring, you must consider different design parts like edges, central designs, the manual aging process, floors with paintwork, a combination of materials, woods from abroad, and coloration techniques. No matter what your personal taste or design requirement is there are suitable and stylish choices in hardwood flooring for you. Therefore, making the right choice will ensure an extremely satisfying flooring experience.