Selecting Perfect FlooringWhether you install the hardwood floor yourself or have someone do it for you is not the most critical issue for consumers.  Selecting perfect flooring can be a challenge for many people. The most important is to make the right choices in selecting floor coverings in the first place regardless of whether it is hardwood flooring or something else. We happen to think that hardwood and tile are by far the best things to use for your floors, but then we are bit biased.

Selecting Perfect Flooring

Here are a few of the issues we thing are important that you should take  into account when you are trying to decide on the hardwood floor you will purchase.

  • Overview
  • Design Styles
  • Situational Factors
  • Floor Traffic Expectations
  • Sub flooring
  • Humidity and Temperature
  • Installation
  • Warranty

Overview

Creating great looking hardwood floors in your home requires several important functional and design considerations to get it right. Whether you are considering natural hardwood floors,bamboo, or even laminate flooring – paying close attention to these7 tips will help you make sure that your home is just the way  you want it.

Design Styles

There are thousands of colors and styles to select from today. As a result  it can seem like a daunting task to make the right flooring choice. Narrowing the field down  is recommended to you select a flooring style that complements your home and your overall interior design style. Nothing will look worse that a glaring clash of styles,so make sure your new flooring complements your existing (or planned) interior design. Formulate a complete design style for your home and then select styles that will fit into this design.

Situational Factors

Almost every installation will have physical or functional requirements that may further narrow down the scope and selection of an appropriate hardwood or laminate flooring systems.

Floor Traffic Expectations

The quantity and type of traffic you expect on your floors will impact the flooring material you can choose. Laminates offer high durability, as well as wood species that have high”hardness rankings” on the Janka scale. Softer woods are generally not a good selection for high traffic areas. Take into account were you plan to place throw rugs as well to help with the traffic issues and look and feel of your home.

Sub Flooring

The quality of any new hardwood flooring installation can only be as good as the sub floor underneath. For the best outcomes,the sub floor should be dry, stable, and level.You may need to add a layer of plywood to provide extra support. At the minimum, screw nail any areas that may move or cause squeaks before installing your hardwood floor.

Concrete sub floors generally are only acceptable for laminate installations, but you should be mindful of installing a quality underlay that provides an appropriate moisture barrier as well as good sound installation.

Humidity and Temperature

To prevent warping and cupping of floors make sure there is adequate ventilation and regulated temperatures thought the year. Avoid any possibility of water on the floor or under the floor from leaks or from high humidity. Laminates work best in areas that experience higher humidity levels.

Installation

The time and cost of installation is an often overlooked factor in floor selection decisions. Obtain a separate quote for installation. This will help you decide if you will do the installation your self or hire a professional.

Glue less click-style floating laminate floor systems can be a weekend project for experienced do-it-yourselfers, and can save a lot of installation labor. Other flooring installation methods are generally more complex. They may  require professional installation in most cases.

Warranty

Making a successful claim under a flooring warranty often requires that you can demonstrate the product was installed exactly as per the manufactures recommendations. And that the damage is not a product of wear and tear or poor workmanship. Hiring a professional installer. Deal with a large brand name product that has an established track record is your best protection.

For more information about hardwood floor selection, click here.

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