Wood flooring is a homey look, for it appeals to all ages and cultures. ?
Woods like oak and maple, ash, beech, cherry, hickory and walnut, what we call American traditionals, continue to be popular partly because of that traditional look and partly because they are seen as practical, available and economical. However, other ways of creating wood floors, called engineered and the exotic species from around the world have changed that. You can have any species from anywhere in the world right at your feet, including bamboo in a broad array of colors and patterns.
Woods like oak and maple, ash, beech, cherry, hickory and walnut, what we call American traditionals, continue to be popular partly because of that traditional look and partly because they are seen as practical, available and economical. However, other ways of creating wood floors, called engineered and the exotic species from around the world have changed that. You can have any species from anywhere in the world right at your feet, including bamboo in a broad array of colors and patterns.
Solid wood flooring is just that, one piece of wood usually 3/4 ?inch thick. Since it is installed by nailing or stapling to the floor joists, it adds to the stability of the floor. Solid wood is available in many finishes and colors in various grades, clear or with knots and imperfections.
Engineered flooring features a top layer of premium wood species bonded to layers of less costly wood backing which reduces the amount of expensive wood needed for the look, and the bonded layering makes it stronger than solid, natural wood more dimensionally stable and less likely to suffer from humidity caused expansion and contraction, so engineered wood can be used in kitchens, bathrooms and below grade installations.
Fall is a wonderful time to think about bringing in some of that outdoor coloring ? or choosing a wood floor from amongst all those fall colors ? cool yellow, warm reds and neutral umbers.
In addition to remembering that wood has color, it has texture, and that?s changing, too. One form of texturing is called hand-scraped, popular in the traditional species and also in exotics.
Hand-scraped means just that, giving the floor a hand-tooled, personalized look No two hand-scraped floors can ever look alike; every one will be unique just as if a craftsperson had come into your home and cared out the floors for your house.
Engineered flooring features a top layer of premium wood species bonded to layers of less costly wood backing which reduces the amount of expensive wood needed for the look, and the bonded layering makes it stronger than solid, natural wood more dimensionally stable and less likely to suffer from humidity caused expansion and contraction, so engineered wood can be used in kitchens, bathrooms and below grade installations.
Fall is a wonderful time to think about bringing in some of that outdoor coloring ? or choosing a wood floor from amongst all those fall colors ? cool yellow, warm reds and neutral umbers.
In addition to remembering that wood has color, it has texture, and that?s changing, too. One form of texturing is called hand-scraped, popular in the traditional species and also in exotics.
Hand-scraped means just that, giving the floor a hand-tooled, personalized look No two hand-scraped floors can ever look alike; every one will be unique just as if a craftsperson had come into your home and cared out the floors for your house.
