The image of hardwood floors evokes a sense of charm and wealth that you cannot experience in any other. If you don’t know exactly what you want, choosing the best hardwood floor can actually be a very daunting task. As it is a huge investment, there are a few factors to consider before finding the perfect flooring.
What you should consider when buying a parquet floor:
- Solid vs. finished: The solid wood floor consists of a single, solid piece of wood. These are ideal for living rooms and bedrooms or any place that is above ground and their thickness can vary from ¾ inch to 5/16 inch. The main benefit of this usage is that it can be post-processed as many times as you like. In contrast, the parquet floor consists of several layers and is ideal for basements.
- Factory built or built on site: this choice depends entirely on your personal preferences. In the factory-finished version, the finishing is applied directly in the factory itself. Although you cannot customize it to your needs, this minimizes the noise and dust generated during the installation process.
- Living habits and living style: The living habits of the residents of the house determine the placement of the parquet floors. If you have a lot of children or pets and are therefore coming to a high-traffic home, it is best to opt for harder woods such as red oak. This withstands wear and tear. It’s important to trim your pet’s nails regularly to prevent scratching. Preventive care and proper maintenance can help keep your hardwood floor in good condition. As for style, if your house is modern, natural maple can be used. Maple is inspired by Norwegian design. Gray stained oak boards also provide a modern look. If your home is traditional, use hickory. The boards here probably have knots and wider boards.
Cost of using hardwood floors:
If budget is important to you, regular oak floors in different colors can be chosen. They start at around $3 per square foot. Also, staining the wood might cost more. Oil varnishes are more in vogue than matt varnishes. Although the initial investment is higher, in the long run it is more economical to use oil stained floors and can be considered the best option for hardwood floors. The width of the veneer on wood floors, how many times it can be sanded. Damaged hardwood can be difficult to repair. In this case, it is cheaper to use solid hardwood boards.
