Is Solid wood flooring suitable for use with Radiant heat under floor heating systems?
So long as tubes do not touch wood, this should be okay. A laminated underlay vapour barrier should be used between the concrete and the floor asa barrier stopping vaporization.
How does floor create an effect of largeness?
Homogeneous flooring of the room makes it visually larger. Each intermission in the flooring or change of the color makes the room look smaller. The premise looks larger also, when the flooring is laid diagonally. The diagonal is the longest line in the premise and if it is stressed, the whole premise looks more spacious. Thus you can lay down tiles, wood flooring, etc. Of course – this works in case the separate elements are not too short.
What is the difference between solid wood and laminate?
Solid wood flooring is made of one solid plank and so is solid the whole way through; it has not been engineered or glued. Laminate flooring is a photograph of wood printed onto a high-density base and then finished with an acrylic lacquer. There is no solid wood in a laminate. Laminate cannot be renewed and hence – its lifetime is small.
Are Solid wood floors difficult to maintain and clean?
No – the pre-finished floor contains multiple layers of a UV-cured polyurethane. This gives the floor a tough, durable and smooth finish which is very easy to maintain. However you must never damp mop a solid wood floor.There are a number of products now available which are specifically for wood floors.
Which installation method is best?
The method used for your hardwood installation will depend upon the type of product you have chosen, where the flooring will be installed and the type of subfloor. Nail down, glue down & floating are the three type of installation. For instance, if you are remodelling your kitchen, some products can be “floated” over most sub-floors, including vinyl or ceramic tile, eliminating the mess and cost of tearing up the existing floor and installing a sub-floor.
Can solid wood flooring be installed in every room?
Solid wood is suitable for any room except the bathroom. You must also consider whether the floor will be on, above or below-grade (in general terms this is the floor level. Above grade is above ground, below grade is below ground – (i.e. in a basement). Due to potential moisture problems, solid wood is not suitable in basements but is fine for on or above grade rooms.
Why wood but not some other floor finishing?
Besides walls, the floor is the largest color and full of motives area in the room. The wood floor will increase the already existing atmosphere in your home.
Is it necessary to have skirting?
In general – yes. Skirting covers the gap between the wall and the flooring. It can be changed by a springy band called compensator or dumper. This option has almost no disadvantages except the fact that you can’t lay cables under it, unlike the skirting. Skirting is preferable for one more reason – it is cheaper than the spring band method – because the technological process with this method is very expensive. So, if you intend to do a renovation, put skirting.
How many times can I scrape the wood flooring?
First of all – today we don’t scrape wood flooring but sand it. We use special machinery to remove the old varnish and the existing scratches on the floor. Usually, different types of wood floor can handle between 25 and 30 sands. Hardwood installed with glue to the floor can be sanded more than the one installed with the floating method. This is because with the floating method the sanding is not even.
Why is wood so fractious?
We are the one who create conditions in which the wood behaves bad: geometrical windows, doors, over heating… During winter the humidity goes down below 20% – this is a disaster not only for the wood, but for people too. The wood enlarges, and some health issues may apply to the people occupying the premises.
The most important thing is that wood “feels” good under the same conditions as people – humidity between 50-60% and temperature between 20-22 degrees.
What is the quality of the hardwood?
It is not so easy to define exactly how much the wood flooring is dried, but you can define its quality by calculating its parameters. The length of plank must always be aliquot to its width. (350 mm х 70 mm, 300 mm х 50 mm, 300 mm х 60 mm, 250 mm х 50 mm, etc.) Let’s take for example the size 300 x 50 mm: if you lay down 6 planks of this size one by one you should get a square. Next – put over the square one plank crossly. If it fits perfectly – with no gaps and the angles are square – and the upper plank doesn’t get out of the edges of the square – everything is OK. Of course – it is not so bad if the geometry mismatches a little and the length is not exactly equal to 6 widths. But the factories that take the time and attention to these small details will, in no doubt, be also very careful with the more important technological requirements in the process of producing wood flooring.
Continue your testing by running your hand over the wood floor. If it has scratches and is bumpy, it is not processed properly. Have a look at the sides of it – they must be even and smooth. There must be no gaps between the planks. One gap or chip is not big deal. But if their number is large we can make the following conclusion: the wood flooring has been dried too fast and not properly, and the technological sequence in the drying process has not been followed exactly.
Can we put wood flooring in the bathroom?
It is very fashionable to have wood flooring in the bathroom nowadays. But you must choose the type of wood flooring and wood species very carefully. The best wood for the bathroom is teak. It is beautiful, includes a lot of oil substances and hence doesn’t rot in moist environment. Is is being additionally processed with oils and special varnishes and wax. But nevertheless that teak doesn’t rot, just like any other tree, in water it gets wet and inflates. So, it is best if you dry the puddles immediately.
Which wood species is best?
The client always thinks of the hardness of the wood. And indeed – the harder the wood is, the longer it will last. Heavy objects may fall on the floor and furniture is often with sharp feet or hard wheels. Women with heels walk over it. And all of this leaves marks. But another important indicator is the stability of the geometrical parameters – how does the wood respond to the changes in temperature and moisture. According to this, one of the most stable wood species is oak. Probably more than 2/3 of the world wood flooring turnover is due to oak. On the other hand – beech and hornbeam have the bad reputation of “unstable” wood. For more information on different wood species, read here.
What must be the finishing of the floor?
For the floor you need to spend a little more than you can afford. Try not to buy the cheapest wood flooring – it is probably not properly processed, dried and will deform very fast. You must also not save money from the preparatory work on the underfloor – almost all the defects of the floor are due to bad laid (or even the absence of) paste. Some covers are not so pretentious to the surface – like carpet or linoleum. But speaking from our experience – if you’re doing a renovation – level the floor, make it flat, in spite of what do you intend to lay over it. In the future you may decide to change from linoleum to laminate, and you will need extra time for drying the paste (sometimes more than a month). You can save money from perfect flattening of the walls, but don’t save it from the floor. You can paint and repaint the walls many times, but if you plan to lay hardwood, you’ll probably only do it once i na lifetime.
What hardwood should we choose for the children’s room?
Every parent wants a children’s room with practical and natural flooring. We think that laminate is the best solution in this case. Children can draw on it with markers or even drive rollers: the marker can be erased with varnish removing liquid, and the rollers leave no marks. But is must be anti-bacterial – made of special resins, oils and glues. The anti-bacterial laminate doesn’t hold dust, causes no allergic reactions and prevents breeding of bacteria
Varnish and Oil – what’s the difference?
Varnished wood flooring adds a reflective effect to your room, leaving a feeling of clearness and freshness in it. Wood flooring becomes more durable. It also makes the room look larger. On the other hand – oil covered wood flooring gives the room an authentic warm atmosphere. It is suitable for premises of high density. But for keeping it fine and durable, you need to oil it three times a year..
How to store wood flooring before its installation?
Unload the wood flooring in dry weather. The best thing to do is unloading in fine weather, but never do it when it rains. Let is remain unpacked in the room where it shall be installed for 2-3 days to acclimate.
What is Floating Flooring?
Floating flooring is where the flooring is laid down over a layer of underlay. The individual planks are glued together, and they are not glued or nailed in to the permanent floor. By doing this the floor is “floating” above the underlay – this is the standard installation method for laminate flooring and is not recommended as the best method for solid wood floors.
Is there a hardwood more durable than others?
There is very little difference in durability and the choice really comes down to aesthetics and your own personal choice.
Can Solid wood be installed on stairs?
Yes, although it can be slippery, so think about your own environment before deciding (ie. Young children, pets)
What is Engineered flooring?
These floors are constructed from several wood plies that are glued together. The centre core is generally a softer wood material and is used to make the tongue and groove. A hardwood finish layer is glued on top of the centre core and another softer wood ply is attached underneath the core. This top ply is also called the finish layer and can be constructed of almost any wood species. Wood always wants to expand in a certain direction. In the presence of moisture solid wood planks will always expand across the width of the planks, rather than down the length of the boards. To avoid this problem, manufacturers of engineered planks place each ply in the opposite direction of each other. This is called cross-ply construction. Once the wood layers are glued together the plies will counteract each other which will stop the plank from growing or shrinking with changes in the humidity. Engineered wood floors are designed for the floating installation and can be glued together or some now come with a click system. Engineered floors provide more flexibility than solid hardwood flooring as they can be used in areas with a higher moisture content such as basements.
Are solid wood floors expensive?
An increase in demand for hard wood floors slowly decreases prices, but still – more and more companies in the sector are realising good enough benefits. When looking at the lifespan of solid wood floors they are excellent value for money as they never have to be replaced and are easily re-finished to suit decor changes. Solid wood floors are really “beauty that lasts a lifetime”.
Do solid wood floors increase the value of your home?
Solid wood floors, just like ceramics are recognised as a high quality building material. They are long lasting and completely renewable with very little effort. Aside from these benefits solid wood floors are fashionable, minimalist and above all, attractive which means that they add value to your home.
How to maintain wood flooring?
To keep your floors as beautiful as the day they were installed or refinished, just follow these easy steps and always use the manufacturers’ recommended cleaning product: Never use vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors, they can cause the floor to become slippery and appear dull. Place mats and throw rugs at doorway exteriors and interiors to help prevent the tracking of grit and dirt on your wood flooring. Never wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can stain or damage the wood. Wipe up food and other spills immediately with a slightly dampened towel. Place soft plastic or fabric faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scratching of your wood floor. When moving heavy furniture, completely pick it up rather than sliding it across the floor to best protect your wood flooring. Try not to let people walk on the wood floor with stiletto-healed shoes as these can cause damage. In the kitchen place a rug in front of the sink area. Use a humidifier in the winter months to keep the movement of wood to a minimum. Dust mop, sweep or vacuum your wood floor regularly. Clean with manufacturers recommended cleaner. Recoat the wood floor when cleaning no longer restores shine. The frequency of this will depend on the amount of traffic. Under NO circumstances should your laminate floors ever be sanded, remember it is only a photograph applied to a high pressure laminate backing. Avoid using harsh abrasive cleaners, waxes, polishes, urethane or lacquer on your laminate floor. Never place potted plants directly in contact with your flooring, even if they are placed in waterproof saucers. Condensation can develop under these saucers and damage your flooring. To avoid this, place your plants on trivets or stands, so that air can circulate underneath. Dog and cat nails can scratch and dent your floor’s surface. Keep nails trimmed regularly. Immediately clean up pet urine, as it will damage the floor’s finish if allowed to dry. No maintenance or cleaning products should be applied until 2 weeks after the wood floor has been lacquered. Do not use water to clean wood floors, always use a recommended cleaner.
What is hard wood flooring?
Just like the multi-layer wood flooring, the real wood flooring planks are made of wood. But here the whole plank is made of one wood, while the multi layer consists of different types of wood, and only the upper layer is massive wood.
Why should we choose real wood flooring?
There are many reasons to choose real wood flooring. Here are some of the most important: it is a natural product, made of wood, it contains natural materials, and in case of damage it can easily be renewed. Wood-flooring is durable and economical. Wood flooring is attractive and stylish. It is hygienic and anti-allergic. Wood flooring is the right choice in every case – ideal for shops, schools, offices, sport halls. The wood floor transfers nature in your home.