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Hardwood Floors
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Construction of Hardwood Flooring
Genuine hardwood is real wood, through and through, providing warmth, character
and sophistication to discriminating homeowners.
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Solid Wood |
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- Milled from one piece of 100% solid wood. Most boards that are three- quarters of
an inch thick, although a “thin-profile”solid is also available that is 5/16”thick.
- Use in above grade installation only
- Should not install below grade, as moisture makes it expand and contract.
- While solid hardwood flooring is typically nailed to a subfloor, thin-profile solid
flooring can be glued down over concrete and other hard surfaces.
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Engineered Wood
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- Constructed of multiple layers of 100% cross grain wood that are bonded together.
It is manufactured by permanently bonding together multiple layers of solid wood
in a cross-ply construction. Engineered hardwood, typically 3/8”thick, is designed
to have superior strength and moisture/humidity resistance. Other thickness are
available.
- Designed for installation at any house level including above or below grade.
- Engineered hardwood flooring can be installed over wood, concrete or an existing
floor.
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The species of wood influences its appearance and durability. Not all species of
hardwood are equally hard. For example, if your floor is going to take a lot of
abuse, consider Oak, Maple or Ash. |
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Beech
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Hickory
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Maple
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Red Oak
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White Oak
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Pecan
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Color
Color will have an enormous influence on your buying decision. Hardwood
flooring offers many color options. The colors available are the result of the natural
color and graining of the species and the stain applied to the wood.
Gloss
Since the gloss level of hardwood flooring does not affect its durability
or performance, your choice of high gloss or low gloss is a matter of personal preference.
- Low gloss floors tend to hide minor surface scratches better.
Board Width
The width of the individual boards will have a dramatic influence on the look of
your floor.
- Strips: Narrow boards less than 3 inches wide.
- Planks: Wider boards more than 3 inches wide.
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The way the edges and ends of boards are cut is another factor that affects the
look of your new hardwood floor. |
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Square Edge:
Boards fit flush against each other for a
smooth traditional look.
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Beveled Edge:
The sides of each board are sanded or angled to create grooves, or an outline effect
around each board.
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Eased Edge or Micro-Beveled Edge:
Edges are slightly angled where they meet to create a less apparent outline.
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Style and texture
There are a wide variety of styles and surface texture available from sleek, sophisticated
contemporary to casual, hand-scraped rustic.
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