Hardwood flooring has been very popular and used by many homeowners for centuries. Due to the functionality and the natural beauty, it is highly recommended for flooring. However, when looking for durability that can last for 100 years, you can choose hardwood floors without any hesitation. For hardwood floor installation in Hinsdale, here’s a guide that can help you.
The wood that is used for hardwood flooring is cut from those trees that grow slower and are much more durable. As a result, they require low maintenance and can last longer.
Design Considerations Of Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is never outdated in its style and designs. For 1000 years, this type of flooring has been in use. Though various trends have changed, the hardwood flooring has survived for long years. The look and the style are never going to get old. The feeling of the forest with the Hardwood can be felt in modern urban environments. The homeowners staying in the city can take the freshness of the natural Hardwood through this flooring material.
- Characteristics: The color and the shade of the wood will change with time. It can get dents, scratches, or nicks, which can create a different look, but it will never damage for years. However, one can choose refinishing services to revive their floors. With this kind of characteristic of the Hardwood, the matured look can only be achieved after the wear and tear over the years.
- Unique: Since the Hardwood is a work of natural art, it always remains unique. With the unique color and the pattern, every strip, plank, and board of the Hardwood is unique. Hardwood can be obtained from various species of trees depending on their location and characteristics.
- Large Spaces: Hardwood flooring can be ideally used in large spaces. The monotony of the rooms can be broken with the natural art pieces. When some decorative pieces or wooden planks can be added with the hardwood material, the effect of the flooring can be compounded even more.
Prices of Hardwood Flooring
The price range of the hardwood flooring starts from anything between $1 to $10 per square foot. The prices differ as the species of trees are different from which the flooring material is manufactured. The hardwood companies that provide high-quality, durable hardwood flooring material charge more.
Hardwood is an expensive quality of wood since the production and maturity of the wood take time. However, though the initial investment may seem huge, the long-term effect it will give on your flooring will seem reasonable over time.
If you want to go for more reasonable options, you can go for cedar or pine, which costs less than a dollar per square foot. The plywood sheets can be the cheapest option. They may not be as durable as the normal hardwood flooring but can also last longer if properly maintained.
Benefits of Hardwood Flooring
There are several benefits of hardwood floors. Read some of them below-
Heat: The hardwood flooring is moderately warm and can keep the same temperature throughout the year. It is considered to be warmer than stones but not as warm as carpet. The hardwood flooring controls the radiant heating system underfloor, which helps in keeping the warmth even in the winter season.
Noise: The hardwood floors can improve the acoustics within the home and reduce the hollow sound or vibrations that usually transpire. However, the foam or the cork underlayment can improve the condition, resolving the sound issues if not required by you.
Soft: The wood can remain moderate and not have a very hard texture under the foot. This can only happen when there are underlayment installations. You should avoid the flooring on the concrete, which can lead to discomfort and rigidity after flooring.
How Can You Choose The Hardwood Flooring?
- When your floors are glossy, they can show a lot of dirt. So, it is always recommended to apply the matte-finished polyurethane to decrease the dust appearance.
- There are various options like engineered hardwood, solid hardwood, and more, along with different installation methods, but you are required to choose the flooring depending on the base where your flooring would be done. If you are installing the floor on your own, do thorough research about the installation process.
- If the hardwood flooring is of a darker shade, it may look dirty.
- You can use samples and place them on your floors to select the final flooring for your room. This can help you in choosing the accurate view of your room and can help you to decide wisely.
Other Advantages of Hardwood Flooring
- Easy Installation With Little Mess
The pre-finished flooring is very easy to install. If done with the proper installation process, the solid hardwood flooring can last a long.
- Easy To Clean
As the hardwood flooring does not accumulate much dust, the cleaning process is very easy. Vacuuming and mopping once a week and keeping the floors dry will help maintain the hardwood floors for a longer period.
- Durability And Strength
The hardwood floors are manufactured and installed in such a way that they can last for generations. The flooring can easily withstand high footfalls in busy office spaces. The maple wood flooring is the strongest among all the hardwood flooring.
- Long Term Investment
Though the initial investment cost is high, it is a great long-term investment. The resale value is also very high if you possess hardwood flooring in your rooms. Thus, if you select hardwood flooring, it will automatically increase the property value.
- Huge Variety
There are various options for hardwood flooring, among which you need to choose the best one. The wood is of different species, colors, stains, and styles. Your requirements can be varied, but you must take your decision prudently.
- High-Quality Indoor Air
The hardwood flooring helps in improving the air quality indoors. Unlike the carpets, it will not trap dust or other pollen particles in the room. This type of flooring is recommended for those people who have allergies.
- The Appearance of High Quality
Along with the functionality, the look of the hardwood flooring is also of high quality and standard. The floors also look spacious wherever they are installed.
- Evergreen
As the style of hardwood flooring has been ageless, it can be considered evergreen. Also, if you desire to update the look, you can opt for Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Hinsdale.
Installation of Hardwood Floor
Materials:
- Hardwood
- Nail set
- Wood putty
- Staple gun
- Pry bar
- Variable speed drill
- Vapor barrier paper
- Pneumatic flooring package
- Modular porch system kit
- Drill bits
- Hammer
- Tape measure
- Table saw
- Safety goggles
- Ear protection
- Chalk line
- Chop saw
How to do it?
- Firstly, choose the hardwood board widths and species.
- Measure the length and width of the room, and then you need to multiply the square footage.
- Clean the room thoroughly. And if any squeak occurs, screw a drywall screw into the subfloor.
- Now, you need to roll the strips of vapor barrier paper.
- Use felt or tar paper and mark the joists on the baseboards with a pencil.
- Draw a chalk line ⅜” to remove the shoe molding.
- Take a long board and align it with the chalk line and drill the holes.
- Now, face- nail all the way to the joist and once it is complete, attach the nail.
- Drill the pilot holes and hand-nail the rolls till you find the clearance for the pneumatic nail gun.
- Place the gun lip on the edge of the hardwood board by using a pneumatic nail gun and strike. Drive the staple to the hardwood plank’s tongue.
- Now, cut off the baseboards by leaving 10 to 12 inches more.
- The tongue and the groove of the board should match. Always cut the wall end of the wood to not leave any gap.
- But the board goes up while you make the mark, and now you need to mark the end of the tongue. It leaves a gap giving the opportunity for expansion.
- Drill pilot holes and then hand nail the boards without leaving any gap. And do not leave any gap for the hammer and drill.
- Replace the shoe molding of the room and putty the nail holes. Get a wood putty that gets matched to the floor and wipe off the excess.
Where Do You Plan To Use The loor?
- Office and Bedrooms: Softer woods like black walnut or black cherry wood can be the best for the bedrooms and office spaces.
- Bathrooms: You can think of installing engineered floors, as they are sturdy enough to handle the water and humidity.
- Entryway And Kitchen: Due to heavy footfall, you can use Hardwood like hickory and oak.
- Basement: As it is a highly water-prone area, using low-grade Hardwood will not suffice. The engineered hardwood floors can be the best option for the basement.
What are the Different Cuts of Hardwood?
- Quartersawn boards: These boards are more expensive than the other boards. The growth rings and the straight grains are perpendicular to the face of the boards.
- Flatsawn boards: The growth rings of this board are roughly perpendicular to the grain pattern.
What are the basics of Hardwood?
- Hardness: The harder the surface, the lesser the wood is prone to dents and nicks.
- Length: The longer the strips are, the fewer the endpoints and the joints. If you want to make a small room appear big, you can use shorter strips of Hardwood.
- Width: The planks, which are 6 inches in width, can have that rustic appeal, but during the dry period, they can get wide open.
- Thickness: The solid boards have such thickness that they can be refinished up to 10 times. The floor would not require frequent refinishing if the boards could be topped with factory-finished coatings.
Subfloors For Hardwood Floor Installation
- Existing Wood Floors: You can prefer to install floors on existing wood floors. However, check the subfloors for any loose or broken boards to avoid glitches.
- Radiant Floors: These are engineered hardwood floors that can be used as they are thin and more affordable.
- Plywood Subfloors: If you are installing your floor above plywood subfloors, they can be installed by any method, like glue-down or nail down if the surface is flat and solid.
- Concrete Tile or Slab: The nail-down cannot be the option here. You need to consider the floating floor, or that can be glued down.
What is hardwood grading?
- Rustic: If the species is rustic, you can have different characteristics of Hardwood.
- Natural Hardwood: Natural Hardwood can have some defects in the grading.
- Sorting In Mills: The defects are sorted in the mills, and the fewer the defects, the costlier the species of the Hardwood.
Conclusion
Hardwood flooring can be chosen when you want a warm environment indoors. Though it is not recommended in humid-prone areas, the hardwood flooring can be a great long-term investment. If maintained properly with weekly cleaning with vacuum cleaners and keeping it as dry as possible, the flooring can last many generations. If the natural hardwood seems expensive for your budget, you can go for engineered hardwood flooring that is cheaper with low maintenance.
For Hardwood Floor Installation in Orland Park, you can contact Big Bro Hardwood. We have been serving homeowners’ needs and requirements for many years now. We use the best technologies and resources to complete the project within the decided timeline. Our specialized team will handle the task from initiation to delivery and even assist you with post-installation work. We listen to your needs and come up with ideas to help you transform your vision into reality. No matter whether you need sanding services, installation, refinishing, staining, repair, or something else, we can help you!
And, when it comes to Hardwood Floor Refinishing in Orland Park, we use eco-friendly water-based polyurethanes to give your wood a natural appearance and good protection. You can reach us at (630) 418 4139 to discuss your project needs.