Hardwood Flooring - things to consider

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Hardwood flooring might be the most timeless of building materials. Elegant historic homes often feature it, as so do many of the nicest new homes being built today. No wonder installing hardwood floors is such a popular home improvement project, adding warmth and beauty to any residence — and value, too. In fact, the upgrade has one of the highest returns on investment (106% to be exact), according to the National Association of Realtors’ latest Remodeling Impact Report.

Unfinished or Finished?

Hardwood floor on-site finishing allows for a level of customization that appeals to many homeowners and designers. Unfinished hardwood flooring is a good option if you want a custom stain applied before the final finish giving you total control over the color. So, it might be worth it if you are custom-matching new hardwood floors with existing ones in your home.  After hardwood flooring installation and staining, the flooring is given several coats of protective finish. If you’re thinking of adding hardwood flooring in your kitchen, unfinished flooring is a good choice because the finish will penetrate and seal the seams between boards, helping to prevent water from seeping between boards.  The final product will be smoother too because unfinished flooring is typically sanded after it’s nailed down and then finished as a single continuous plane.

Prefinished hardwood flooring comes from the factory already sanded and sealed, meaning the whole installation job goes quickly.  Prefinished flooring also takes less time to install, because there's no need to apply color or sealant. There are no odors and VOCs from finishing on-site, and the floor is ready to walk on immediately.  Finishes packed with aluminum oxides and cured under UV lights in a factory are tougher than ones applied on-site and you can walk on the floor the day it's installed, since there's no sanding or waiting for coats to dry. But every edge has a slight bevel at the joint, something you won't see on a site-finished floor.  The advantage of prefinished wood is that you know exactly what you’re getting. Once you select a product, you’ll have an exact sample to use in coordinating your home’s color palette and choosing other design elements.

Whichever way you go, you’ll have your choice of sheen on the finish. The lower the sheen, the less you’ll notice wear and tear. Matte and satin finishes offer the least shine. Semi-gloss finishes offer some shine and reflect some light. Gloss finishes reflect the most light, so they’re not ideal in high-traffic areas because they show scratches.

The best hardwood floors are made with wood species that are readily available. In North America, Oak is the king of hardwood flooring for a few good reasons. Along with being very durable, it has a natural beauty that is easy to stain and a grain that is naturally striking.  Oak is readily available across North America which makes it even more appealing as the prices stay reasonable.  Other great species that work great as wood flooring include maple flooring and cherry flooring which are both good choices. Some slightly more exotic species include bamboo (which is actually a grass), walnut, ash and mahogany. You’ll pay a premium price for more exotic species, such as teak, jarrah and mesquite.  In design circles, white oak is especially popular, because it doesn’t have the pinkish tones of red oak.  Walnut is another a popular choice. While slightly softer than oak, it has a deep color and rich grains that makes it ideal for rooms where a darker finish is desired.  Walnut is a natural choice when you desire rich warn tones.  Other readily available North American hardwoods include hickory, cherry, maple, and ash. The choice largely comes down to personal preference in terms of color and grain.