Three questions to ask yourself when choosing hardwood flooring
Wood flooring is always going to be in demand. These floors add warmth, charm, classic beauty, and are often the centerpiece of a room or area. There’s a lot more to selecting the right one than just choosing species, so make sure to have a detailed conversation with your hardwood flooring retailer about your needs, priorities, and challenges.
Do you have a practical side?
We ask because engineered hardwood will offer the kind of wood floors that are just as beautiful as solid, but more stable and better able to handle water. They don’t need acclimation, a process to eliminate the shrinkage and expansion to adjust to the weather, which is often associated with wood. It has more installation possibilities, such as being able to be installed in some higher-than-normal moisture areas.
While solid is one big slab throughout the thickness, engineered is layered. At the top is a slab, giving it undertones, knots, swirls, etc. Underneath are at least three or more layers of authentic wood, combined with a little resin and then placed in a crosswise position. Like a solid, this floor can be refinished and adds the same kind of value as any other wood.
While solid is one big slab throughout the thickness, engineered is layered. At the top is a slab, giving it undertones, knots, swirls, etc. Underneath are at least three or more layers of authentic wood, combined with a little resin and then placed in a crosswise position. Like a solid, this floor can be refinished and adds the same kind of value as any other wood.
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Are you installing in a busy room with high foot traffic?
Some hardwoods are stronger than others. Hickory, oak, and walnut are some of the hardest domestic species, with cherry and maple not far behind. An exotic species (harvested outside the U.S., usually in Brazil, Indonesia, or Africa) are the hardest of all. If you have extra durability needs, be sure to mention this to your flooring pro.
Do you have installation/subfloor preferences?
Solid is a tongue and groove, then it’s nailed or glued. It requires extensive subfloor restoration and, because of moisture issues, it is not recommended for installation over concrete. Engineered also offers a floating floor. Here, the pieces click together, forming a mat which then hovers over a subfloor. The subfloors need to be clean, dry, and level.
At Putnam's Carpet Sales Inc we only work with premier floor brands that have a proven track record of superior function and timeless beauty so you can feel confident selecting your hardwood flooring from us. To find out more about our products and services, or to get one of our free, no-obligation wood flooring quotes, come into our showroom in Rockwell, NC. We service Rowan County and surrounds, especially the cities of Rockwell, NC, Salisbury, NC, China Grove, NC, Mooresville, NC, and Concord, NC.
