Hardwood flooring 101
Why Choose Hardwood Flooring
Difference between prefinished and unfinished.
Difference between Solid and Engineered.
Why choose hardwood flooring?
- Solid hardwood offers a variety of grain patterns, natural color variations, and the beauty of a natural material.
- Hardwood floors are easy to clean.
- Hardwood floors are ideal for allergy sufferers as they do not promote dust or harbor dust mites.
- Hardwood flooring is longest-lasting.
- Increase the value of your home.
Difference between Solid and Engineered.
Difference between prefinished and unfinished.
Difference between Solid and Engineered.
Solid wood flooring, as the name suggests, is made of solid wood throughout its thickness. It usually made of a hardwood species, such as oak, maple, or walnut, and its major advantage is that it can be sanded and refinished many times over the course of its lifespan. Solid comes in pre-finished and unfinished.
Engineered wood flooring looks very similar on the surface, but it is made from a relatively thin layer of hardwood bonded over a substrate of high-quality plywood. Engineered flooring is somewhat less expensive than solid hardwood, but most types can be sanded and refinished only once since the surface hardwood layer is relatively thin.
Difference between prefinished and unfinished.
Difference between prefinished and unfinished.
Difference between prefinished and unfinished.
The difference between unfinished hardwood flooring and pre-finished hardwood flooring is in the name. An unfinished hardwood floor is raw material that requires installation, then sanding and staining ON SITE. Pre-finished floor has been finished in a factory and only requires installation.
Prefinished flooring is a faster process. Once prefinished flooring is installed, you can walk on it and put furniture on it immediately. With an unfinished hardwood floor, the process takes several days and then you will have to wait another several days to put furniture back on the floor.
With prefinished flooring, there is no chemical smells because there are no chemicals being applied.
Unfinished flooring, the smell from refinishing and applying an OIL BASED polyurethane is intense and sometimes difficult to deal with. In most cases you will you have to leave your home for a period of time.
Water Base vs. Oil Base Finish
Water Base vs. Oil Base Finish
Difference between prefinished and unfinished.
Water-based and oil-based polyurethane each offer good protection; the biggest difference is in appearance.
Water-Based provides a clear finish with low odor and cost twice as much as oil-based polys.
Oil-Based leaves an amber glow and requires fewer coats than water-based poly and it is less expensive. Your house will probably be out of commission for 3-5 days. You will also have a strong odor while it cures.
Cleaning Hardwood Flooring
Water Base vs. Oil Base Finish
Cleaning Hardwood Flooring
Schindler Hardwood recommends Bona Floor Cleaners. The residue-free, fast drying solution cleans every floor type by easily and effectively removing dust, dirt and grime to reveal your floor's natural shine and beauty. Bona cleaners are water-based and biodegradable solutions making a safer product for people, pets and the planet.
For a more natural clean, you can use water and white vinegar.
Grade Levels
Water Base vs. Oil Base Finish
Cleaning Hardwood Flooring
The different levels of the home are often referred to as "Grade Levels." In most cases, when you walk into a home through the front door, that ground level floor is known as "on grade." Every floor located above this ground level on grade is considered to be "above grade." Leaving the basement to "below grade".
Can hardwood be installed in a bathroom, kitchen or basement?
Can hardwood be installed in a bathroom, kitchen or basement?
Can hardwood be installed in a bathroom, kitchen or basement?
Hardwood floors can be installed in ½ bathrooms, were no tub or shower is present. Moisture can cause damage to hardwood flooring; it is not recommended to install wood floors where it will be subject to a lot of water.
Kitchens are one of the most popular rooms in the house for hardwood floors. Hardwood flooring is an extremely durable flooring product, built to withstand heavy traffic and give long lasting beauty with minimal maintenance.
It is highly recommended that you do not install solid hardwood flooring below grade. However, it is possible to install laminate flooring, cork, and engineered hardwood floors in basements.
Other Flooring Options
Can hardwood be installed in a bathroom, kitchen or basement?
Can hardwood be installed in a bathroom, kitchen or basement?
GeoWood™ is a revolutionary engineered hardwood combining real timber layered over GeoCore™ -- Cali’s stabilizing limestone composite foundation. This technological breakthrough yields rock solid hardwood flooring with exceptional water resistance and comes at a lower price point than solid wood planks.
Wood Species
Can hardwood be installed in a bathroom, kitchen or basement?
Oil Base Floor Stain
There are many wood species available for wood flooring. The Janka test measures the force required to embed a .444-inch steel ball into the wood by half its diameter. This test is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood specie to withstand denting and wear.
Oil Base Floor Stain
Oil Base Floor Stain
Oil Base Floor Stain
The following are popular stain colors that Minwax offers. If none of these colors are what you are looking for, we can mix different ones to come up with a unique color just for your liking.
OPTIONS
Refinishing
What is really under that old carpet? Have you ever peeled back a corner and taken a look to only find some ugly, stained wood underneath? Were you hoping to find that hidden gem of beautiful oak flooring? Older wood flooring is often quite thick. Underneath those old stains and markings is a fresh new look just waiting to be found!
At Schindler Hardwood we are careful and precise in refinishing old floors. We ensure an even feel and finish that makes it look and feel like a brand-new floor. We can even replace damaged wood with new wood. We can blend the grain, thickness and color to where you will never know the difference. The nice thing about hardwood floors is the wood can generally be refinished many times without needing replacement.
Replace Carpet
Sometimes it is difficult to imagine what hardwood might look like in place of your aging carpet.
Spills (and odors) tend to get caught in carpet and often leave permanent marks. Cleaning hardwood is generally simpler and it's easier to get them “clean clean” whereas things tend to linger permanently in carpets.
According to HGTV, the number one request of home buyers and renters when shopping for a home is hardwood floors. A recent study by USA Today (using data from the National Association of Realtors) found that 54 percent of home buyers were willing to pay more for a home with hardwood floors.
Complimenting Hardwood Floors
Wood vents, treads, risers, and trim pieces all can be stained to match your new flooring color. These finishing touches really help bring out the beauty of your new hardwood floors.
Flush mount vents are designed to lay flat with the surface of wood flooring, providing a smooth and seamless look.
