Real Wooden Flooring for Lasting Benefits

One cannot negate the fact that one of the most attractive flooring materials available today is real wooden flooring. The primary challenge with this is is placing it in a part of the house which has moderate to high levels of humidity and moisture because that will eventually make the wood crack, peel, or warp on the surface. Even so, it still adds a a certain kind of warmth, that, if complemented with the right design, would make the entire room a sight to behold.

What kind of material do you use for your floors? If you are looking for a floor tile that is durable and fashionable at the same time, then you should try using real wood for your home flooring needs. This material has a distinctive appearance that will make it very difficult to completely be copied. Some may resort to vinyl to have a semblance of wooden floors but the effect is really different and one will readily know with a quick glance and a quick feel of the feet that that is not real wood.

One crowning trait of real wood is that it is easily repairable. Depending on the degree of damage, a basic way to restore wood is by sanding and refinishing it. Yes, vinyl is a lot more cheaper but you can do nothing except to dispose it once it is damaged.

Another reason why this is one of the most popular floorings is that it adds monetary worth to your property, especially if they are maintained in a good condition for a long period of time. Some antique houses comprise of floorings as old as 100 years back, so the value of the overall property will be much higher.

On the other hand, if you are one of those people who are prone to allergic reactions, it may be favourable for you to know that wooden floors do not heap pollens, dusts, or pet hairs as what carpets may do. Cleaning is basically also just a sweep or mop away. Do for avid pet owners and allergic people, this floor covering is for you.

If you already have wooden floor tiles in your home, it may be a good idea to set up cheap blinds or temporary blinds instead of thick drapes and curtains, so that it would be more convenient for you every time you need to sand down your wooden floors.

One important thing that this material can offer is the environment it creates. Different floorings elicit different feels. Timber is a thick material and is also a good insulator than plain vinyl or ceramic tiles. That is why using this floor covering will definitely be a good investment over time.

It is also good to note that timber is a renewable resource. High quality timber is just around the corner and you do not have to go through lengths to find it. If you are an environmentally conscious individual, you can also ask timber companies if they are initiating tree planting activities every time they cut down trees, and stick with the companies that do that.

To get the best of your wooden flooring, try to regularly clean it and maintain it to last for a lifetime.

View the original article here

Wooden Floors and Having Them Installed

For anyone who wishes to install a wooden floor themselves, it is important that they know how tough this kind of job is. On the other hand though, it will also be something that will be the source of a lot of pride if you get it right. Choosing wood as a floor covering means that not only are you choosing something which will look fantastic, you are also choosing a durable long lasting material. Although you could in theory have wooden floors all over your home, it is not really a good idea to put it in a bathroom or kitchen because these areas are prone to excessive water which could cause the floor to either lift or rot.

Tips For Installing Wooden Floors

When it comes to making it easier to install your wooden floors, the following information should help you out.

- When ordering wood it is a good idea to have about 15% more wood than you actually need. This is because it is very likely that you are going to make a few mistakes and when you have to cut some wood you are going to have pieces left that you can't use.

- Before you actually start work you should make sure that your wood has been left sitting in the room where it is to be laid for a few days. The purpose of this is for the wood to acclimatise to the humidity level in your home.

- Moving in a perpendicular direction to the joints in the floor is a wise move when putting down wooden flooring.

- Check the joints in the floor for any squeaks before you start laying the floor. If you do find areas where there are squeaks then you should use a long drywall screw to reinforce the area.

- Before you lay the wooden floor panels, you should add sheets of moisture protection as this is very important. If you want you could use vapor barrier paper.

- It is usual to begin at your longest wall and move out from there. Always make a point of nailing down the first two rows by hand. Drilling pilot holes for your finishing nails is something that you should take care of.

- It is important that the panel joints are not close to the panel joints in the next row - aim to leave a six inch gap.

- If you want to make sure that you are leaving the correct gap between the joints in each row, then the best thing to do is to lay out multiple panels at the same time.

- You can use a small piece of scrap wood for levelling out each row. You can use this piece of scrap wood to make sure that each piece of wood fits tighter against the other by placing the wood at the side of a wood panel and tapping gently with a hammer.

- The job will become much easier if you use a floor nailer and you can start using this once you have got going.

- The last row will probably require the use of a pry bar to ensure that you get a tighter fit.

Above are just a few tips for installing wooden floors; you will also need more in-depth instructions for completing the work.

View the original article here