What is Hardwood Flooring?

Hardwood flooring is any flooring that is manufactured from timber that is used for both its design aesthetics and structural stability durability and restorability. Solid wood floors have been used for hundreds of years in many parts of the world. The planks are generally milled from a single piece of timber and installed perpendicular to the wooden support beams. It can be refinished many times extending its lifetime. Engineered wooden floors on the other hand are made of multiple types of wood or wood composite veneers. Because the veneers come from different species of wood, the grain in each veneer runs in different direction, increasing its stability. It can be installed both above or below grade. The type of installation system also depends on the hardwood flooring you’ll use. This includes finishes like tongue-and groove, click, glue-down wood and floating installation. 

How Can I Apply Them to My Home? 

You can install hardwood flooring on your own as a DIY project or have a contractor do it for you. While the latter is easier, it will of course cost you more because of the independent labour and material charges. As a DIY project this can be very interesting to take up. Start by measuring the length and breadth of the room to get the square feet value. You’ll require a minimum 3/4’ plywood sub-floor without any squeaks. Roll out vapour barrier strips on the sub floor and remove previous moldings. You’ll then need to place the boards with the first boards perpendicular to the joists. Continue to hand-nail the rolls and staple the boards. Match the tongue and groove to fill the gaps and fill any remaining ones with matching putty. Use an alcohol based cleaning kit for regular maintenance and wipe off with damp cloth.