There are many things to consider when choosing hardwood flooring for your home. One of the first decisions you need to make is if you want to install unfinished flooring or if you want to install factory finished wood flooring. Unfinished flooring takes more work with deciding what kind of finish you want and applying it to your floor. Factory finished flooring gives you a great look and allows for easier install and a look that you know will be consistent. Other factors to consider include the wood species, color, and dimensions of the flooring.
Wood Species
One major decision you want to make is the type of wood you want your floor to be. This decision is going to depend on multiple factors. Some wood has different hardness factors, which stand up to things being dropped on your floor better than softer woods. Some of the softer woods include Pine and Cedar with Bamboo and Maple having a medium hardness factor, and Brazilian Teak and Brazilian Walnut having a high hardness factor. Grain style is another thing to consider when choosing the type of wood you want to use for your floor. Oak tends to have a very distinguished grain pattern where maple is subtle.
Some species of wood are domestic such has oak, maple and cherry. Other popular options include exotic species such as Brazilian cherry, cork and bamboo. The exotic species tend to be popular because they are very distinct in their grain patterns and the colors that they produce.
Color
Color is another major consideration when choosing a hardwood floor. You need to decide if you want a darker floor or if you want a lighter colored floor. In addition to the various colors available, you can consider the overall design and look of the flooring. As mentioned before, different woods will impact the color and grain patterns that will help you decide the look that you like. In addition to smooth textured flooring, you can also consider other options such as hand-scraped flooring, distressed flooring, or wire-brushed flooring that adds more to your home by giving your floor nice detail and texture.
Dimensions
Wood also comes in a variety of dimensions. The thickness of the wood is one aspect to consider. Typically they come in ¾-inch and 5/16-inch options. The thickness of the wood is something to consider especially if you have multiple flooring types on the same floor. You want to ensure that one room isn’t going to be higher or lower than existing flooring that you don’t intend on changing.
Another dimensional consideration is the width of the wood planks. This is a decision that can affect not only the installation of the flooring, but also the look of the flooring. The wider the planks, the fewer seams can be seen in the floor. Wider planks also show off the detail and design of the wood flooring. Flooring widths can range from 2 ¼” in width up to 8” in width, depending on your preferred style.
With the wide variety of options and ideas out there for hardwood flooring, it’s a good idea to simplify it and decide on the basics of what you want. Choose a color type that you want, decide on the species of wood that is going to give you the best look that you desire, then decide on how wide you want your flooring to be.
Best Buy Interior Finishes & Granite can help you make the right choices to fit your personal style and needs. Our beautiful showroom is located at 585 South Route 59 in Aurora, IL. Feel free to contact us at 630-791-5472 to see how we can help you with all your home project needs.
