Wood Flooring
Wood flooring is available in several grades, widths and thicknesses. Common hardwoods include birch, maple, beech and oak and sometimes softwoods such as pine, fir and hemlock. Wood flooring comes in different forms—strip, plank, parquet and laminates. Most new hardwood flooring today is pre-finished and has UV-cured polyurethane layers which protects the finish.
Advantages of wood flooring
Wood is a natural insulator.
It is easily cleaned and maintained and with proper care can be long lasting.
Can be purchased unfinished or pre-finished.
Can increase a home’s value.
Care and maintenance tips
Sweep or vacuum dirt and grit regularly to avoid scratches.
Wipe the floors only minimally with a damp cloth, as constant dampness will eventually discolour the floor.
Refinishing the floor involves sanding the whole floor before applying a new finish.
When refinishing flooring, waterbased/ water-borne urethanes are preferred by people with allergies, asthma or respiratory problems as they tend to emit fewer VOCs.
Installation
Most new hardwood flooring is pre-finished which eliminates dust and odours associated with finishing on-site.
Common methods include nail down, glue down or floating. Some products can be floated over subfloors, vinyl or ceramic tile eliminating the need to tear up existing flooring. Refer to the manufacturer's installation instructions. In general, solid wood products must be nailed or glued down and are not recommended for below-grade installations.
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