Expectations are extremely important with large purchase items like flooring. This is especially true with hardwood floors. There is no doubt that a new hardwood floor will add a dimension of beauty and warmth to your home. Many consumers are unaware that hardwood flooring has some unique characteristics that make it not the perfect choice for everyone. This article is not intended to dissuade you from buying hardwood flooring, but you should be aware of these four little-known facts about hardwood flooring before you make a purchase:
1) Hardwood floors are guaranteed to scratch
There are several finishes that manufacturers put on hardwood floors to make them more scratch resistant. The most popular finish these days is aluminum oxide. Hardwood floors also typically carry a 5- to 50-year wear warranty. However, wear warranties generally only guarantee that the wood veneer will not wear out completely. There are no warranties against scratches in the hardwood flooring business. All wood floors, regardless of finish treatment or quality of wood, will be susceptible to surface scratches. With that said, be sure to prepare your home for a hardwood floor before installation. It’s a good idea to use furniture protectors, rugs, and mats to protect hardwood floors from scratches. Additionally, you may want to consider tile installation at entrances, as this is the area where the most traffic usually occurs. If there are large pets or children in the house, you may want to consider looking at laminate flooring, which is much more scratch resistant.
2) Hardwood floors are guaranteed to bleed
Hardwood flooring is by no means a soft product, but it can be susceptible to dents from heavy use or drops. No wood flooring is dent-proof, but different species of wood have different degrees of hardness. The Janka test is used to measure the hardness of a species of wood. Using this test, wood species are given a score based on the force required to embed a steel ball into the wood. It is said that the higher the score, the better the species of wood with permanent dents and wear. Northern red oak, the most common wood species used in flooring, is the standard against which all other species are compared. It has a score of 1290. There are species of wood that score over 3000 on this test, and while they may wear better with daily use, they will probably dent if something heavy like a hammer or food can is dropped on the surface. wood. . If you’re really concerned about your floors’ ability to resist indentation, you have other options. There are high-pressure laminates and “wood-look” porcelain products that are much more resistant to pressure and wear. Also, a hand-scraped or distressed hardwood floor will do a better job of hiding dents and other wear and tear on your floor.
3) Hardwood floors are guaranteed to age
The aging of most floor coverings is generally related to how a floor loses its shine over time due to wear and tear on the floor. If I said, “Your carpet is getting old,” you’d think it’s time to buy a new carpet. However, one of the most unique attributes of hardwood flooring is its ability to look better over time. Hardwood floors already come with a lot of character and natural beauty. With proper maintenance, normal use and traffic should add to the beautiful character of your hardwood floor. A real hardwood floor can also be refinished to restore its original luster and shine. This is something that cannot be done on wood-look products such as laminate, vinyl, and porcelain.
These are all good attributes, but what I really want to mention in this section is the photosensitivity of hardwood floors. Wood tends to change color over time when exposed to sunlight. In fact, some hardwood floors can take up to a year and a half to mature and take on their full color. Other floor coverings, on the other hand, can be vulnerable to fading or discoloration when exposed to prolonged sunlight. So while sunlight makes other floor coverings look older over time, it beautifies hardwood floors, allowing them to reach their true color. This is an important attribute for consumers to know, because a freshly laid hardwood floor will not always look like the sample you saw in the showroom, which was allowed to reach its full color.
Consumers should also be aware of moving their rugs and furniture periodically to prevent discoloration. Exotic hardwoods and hardwoods with a natural finish tend to be the most photosensitive. Most hardwoods darken and get bolder over time, but some woods like Santos mahogany actually get lighter in sunlight. If you’re really worried about the effect of sunlight on your floor, buy a hardwood that has been colored with a darker stain or buy a species like northern red oak, which is a less photosensitive species.
4) Wood floors are guaranteed to be affected by moisture
Wood floors are extremely sensitive to moisture. That includes changes in surface moisture, subsoil moisture, and humidity. Damage from moisture-related issues can cause wood planks to crack, cup, or buckle. It is important to hire an expert installation team that is familiar with wood and its reaction to moisture. Proper maintenance by the consumer is equally important. Standing water should be cleaned up immediately and hardwood flooring should be kept in a climate controlled environment.
One way to combat the effects of moisture on your floor is to choose engineered wood flooring. Engineered wood flooring is a much better choice than solid flooring because its construction adds dimensional stability to the planks. The plywood layers under the veneer are laid crosswise, which reduces the wood’s ability to expand and contract along the grain when there is a change in moisture levels.
