A Hardwood Floor For Your Home

Perhaps it's time for a remodel and updating of your home. How about a remodel that will transform your home, add lasting value, beauty and elegance, and be something you will be proud of? Think about hardwood flooring.

Generally hardwood floors come pre finished, this is when the manufacturer applies a finish at the factory. This finish is generally at least four coats of ultraviolet cured urethane resin. Hardwood floors are generally easy to clean with a simple sweep of a dust mop or vacuuming. You will need to protect your hardwood floors from scratches as much as possible. Putting protective rugs under your furniture is an excellent way to prevent scratches on the floor. Hardwood floors are meant to last a lifetime.

You will want to choose a color of hardwood floor

that will accent your home and home furnishings. As a rule lighter colors go with country, contemporary and casual settings. Darker colored wood floors are for formal or traditional interiors. But, of course, anything goes! Your decision should be based on your visual preference.

Lighter wood would be a white ash, sugar maple or southern yellow pine. Darker colors are beech, birch, red oak, heart pine and mesquite.

You want to make sure that your hardwood floor will be able to withstand denting and wear. Of the woods mentioned above mesquite is the hardest wood, and a southern yellow pine would be the softest. In the middle of these fall the yellow birch, heart pine and beech.

If you are going to be hiring and contractor to install your hardwood floor make sure you

ask for references. Go take a look at a floor that he has installed. Make sure that he is comfortable working with the type of word floor that you want installed.

Make sure that you thoroughly inspect the hardwood floor after the installation. Look at the floor from a standing position and with normal lighting. The finish on your floor will not be that you would find on fine furniture. Deep swirls or sander marks or splotchy areas may mean that the floor wasn't finished properly. There will however be some irregularities on any wood floor. However, these irregularities won't seem obvious and will only add to the character of the floor.
About the Author

This article courtesy of http://www.about-hardwood-floors.net

How To Go About Refinishing Hardwood Floors
Some people will tell you that sanding is the best thing to do while...

Selecting Your Carpet
We've all done it. Every time we invest in new carpet, we take an...

5 Tile Floor Tips for Your Basement
Refinishing or refurbishing your basement is a big job that can be...

Garage Floors - Let's Look at your Options
Garage Floors have come a long way. During the last decade the...