Hardwood Floor Installation with a Professional

Hardwood floors are becoming more and more popular in homes with their durability and homey aesthetic being key selling features. The incredibly easy maintenance of wood floors also make them very appealing for homes with pets and children. While the end product of hardwood flooring is great, the installation requires many steps and is not done easily as a DIY project.

Here are some reasons why you should always hire a professional to install your hardwood floors:

Durable Results

When hiring a professional to install your hardwood floors, you are ensuring durable results. Professionals will have the experience and knowledge to properly install your hardwood floors. Reputable hardwood installers will provide you with an installation that will help you get the most out of your floors. Their experience will ensure a smooth and safe hardwood floor installation that you may not get from installing the floors yourself.  

High Quality

Hardwood installers will also provide the highest quality materials, labor and results. A professional will help you to choose the most quality materials to make your floors look and feel like high quality as well. Without the help of a professional you may end up choosing lower quality materials without knowing which could result in fading and warping. The results will also be higher quality than if you did the installation yourself because of their thorough knowledge and experience of installing hardwood floors.

Quick Results

Having a professional install your hardwood floors will also save you time as opposed to a self installation. Since a professional is experienced they can do the job a lot quicker than you can. This will be extremely beneficial especially if you are on a time crunch and need the job done as quickly as possible. By doing the installation yourself you are also allowing for mistakes to possibly happen which will add on time to your project in order to fix the floors.

Cost Effective

Not only will mistakes add on time to your project but they will also add on to the cost. Although hiring a professional to install your hardwood floors is a bit more expensive, it can really be the more cost effective option. If you do the installation yourself and make mistakes and waste materials, you’re going to end up needing more and more materials spending more and more money.

Before attempting to install your new hardwood floors yourself, do your research. Hiring a professional to install your floors will make your life easier and stress free without having to worry about your floors. A professional will have your hardwood floors installed quickly and properly so that you can have your home back to normal and enjoying your new floors before you know it.

Installing Various Wood Floors in Your Home

When it comes to installing hardwood floors in your home, you really can’t go wrong. Hardwood floors are attractive, durable, easy to maintain and timeless. When going through the decision process, it can seem overwhelming with all of the choices you have so it is important to do some research so that you can install the best hardwood floors for your home.

Below are some things to consider before choosing your hardwood floors:

Species of the Wood

There are hundreds of different species of wood to choose from for your new hardwood floors. Some species are more popular than others and each species has their own advantages and disadvantages. These advantages and disadvantages will tend to vary depending on what you are looking for from your hardwood. The more popular species of hardwood are the ones that are very hard and durable so that they won’t dent easily.

These harder species of wood tend to be maple, oak and cherry. These are also extremely abundant species of wood so they are often less expensive and more readily available. Other species such as bamboo, mahogany, ash and walnut although also pretty popular species are much softer and are more prone to denting and damage.

Choosing a species will also depend on the desired color of your hardwood floors. Most species of wood flooring can be either stained or left natural. If you want to leave your floors their natural color with a clear finish, the species will determine what color the floors will be.

Finished or Unfinished

Hardwood floors can either be purchased already finished or purchased unfinished to be finished later on after they are installed. Prefinished floors are becoming more and more popular because of their convenience and quality. Once prefinished floors are installed, they can be walked on immediately because there is no waiting time for the finish to dry. Prefinished hardwood floors will also generally provide a more quality finish than anything that can be applied to the floors once they are already installed.

But, some homeowners will disagree and prefer unfinished flooring. Sometimes unfinished floors are prefered because if there is a large construction job happening in your home, your floors will finished once everything else is done. This will ensure that your finished floors are protected while there are construction crews in your home. There also tends to be a larger variety of finishes to choose from when you get unfinished flooring as well as a smoother floor since it will be sanded once the wood is installed unlike prefinished hardwood. This decision again will be up to personal preference and what you’re looking for.

Solid or Engineered Wood

Engineered hardwood is not a solid piece of wood – it is a layered product of thin hardwood on top of a base of quality plywood. Again, when choosing between this option and solid hardwood, there is no true better overall option but there will be a better option for your personal preference. When it comes to engineered wood there may be fewer options for wood species and most come prefinished. Engineered hardwood floors are also easier to install and good at holding up to moisture, but are not as durable and will not last as long as solid hardwood floors.

Finding The Right Hardwood Floor Finish for Your Home

When you make the decision to install new hardwood floors or decide to refinish your existing hardwood floors, choosing the right finish can be a challenge. The finish you choose is not only important for the protection of your floors but it is also important in enhancing the color and texture of your wood floors.

When choosing a hardwood floor finish, you should consider your maintenance choices as well as your life at home. Think about how the room will be used, how you want the floors to look and how durable it needs to be (especially if you have pets that can easily scratch the floors).

Here is a list of some types of hardwood floor finishes:

Oil-Based Finish

An oil-based polyurethane finish will provide you with a very durable hardwood finish that does not require much maintenance. It is easy to recoat if necessary and also adds a slight amber tint to the color of your wood that will soften with time. This type of hardwood floor finish is a bit slower to dry than others, has a strong odor and is also highly flammable making it dangerous to apply yourself so a professional should be hired. An oil-based finish is best for rooms or areas in your home that are used most often and experience a lot of wear since it is one of the more durable finishes for your hardwood floors.

Water-Based Finish

A water-based hardwood finish will provide you with a clear coat so not to impact the color of your wood in any way, it is not flammable like oil-based finishes, it is moisture resistant and it is very durable. This type of hardwood finish is fast drying which allows you to be able to apply four coats in a day and then be able to move your furniture back in the room that night. A water-based finish has little to no odor and is much easier to clean from tools afterwards.

Moisture-Cured Finishes

Moisture-cured hardwood floor finishes can range from clear to amber in color. It is a very durable finish that is also resistant to moisture. This is one of the more complicated finishes to apply and should only be done by a professional. A moisture-cured finish should be considered for rooms or areas in your home that experience a lot of moisture or spills.

Wax Finishes

A wax finish is one of the more traditional choices for hardwood floor finishes. This type of finish dries very quickly and is easy to repair if there are any scuffs or scratches that appear over time. A wax finish will be long lasting but will also require a bit more maintenance than the other types of finishes mentioned above.

Natural Oil Finishes

Natural oil finishes for your hardwood floors include penetrating oils and hard wax oil finishes. These finishes are made from linseed oil and pure tung oil which help harden the wood as they dry making them very durable finishing options. A layer of wax can be applied as well for some extra shine. Although durable, these finishes are more high maintenance and require the use of certain cleaning supplies so the wood is not damaged.