After deciding to install hardwood floors in your home, one of the most important and crucial decisions is that of deciding whether to go with finished or unfinished hardwood floor. This decision can depend greatly on the type of project you will be doing, where it will be completed, as well as your skill ability and personal preference.

Most of these decisions still remain even if you decide to hire a professional, and you must remember to take the time to carefully consider the options before making any final decisions.

Advantages and Disadvantages

While pre-finished wood flooring continues to grow in popularity, unfinished hardwood floor still remains as the most common and trusted choice by far, a factor that is not likely to change anytime soon. One of the biggest advantages of unfinished hardwood floor is that it does not depend on a precisely level sub floor the way a pre-finished floor does, because the wood can be sanded down.

The biggest disadvantage to unfinished hardwood floor is that on a pre-finished floor, the sheer strength of the finish far surpasses that of an unfinished hardwood floor, even after its final finish, and especially from the contractor’s point of view this can be a great advantage because more jobs can be done in a given amount of time.

While pre-finished hardwoods are primarily sold in big boxes at flooring specialty stores, most unfinished floors are sold to dealers and contractors in the building market. Also, because pre-finished hardwoods are preferred in the replacement market, it is expected that they should see big growth in the future with buying groups such as Flooring America, Abbey, CarpetsPlus and Carpet One.

Another disadvantage to unfinished hardwood flooring is that of the variety that pre-finished hardwood has over it. In addition to offering a wider range of colors and styles, pre-finished producers are also offering new custom coloring. Further, more manufacturers now are offering pre-finished borders, accents and medallions for a more custom look.

Basically, when deciding on whether to go with unfinished or pre-finished hardwood flooring, the final decision depends on you. However, there are several specific issues which should be carefully considered before reaching for your check book. This is the only way to ensure not only that the wood will complement your décor, stay strong and reliable, and add to the value of your home, but that you will be pleased with the end result as well.

Hardwood floors are not only environmentally friendly and add value to any home; they are also incredibly beautiful and timeless. There are many different types of hardwood floor to choose from, and selecting the right type of hardwood floor for a particular project can seem a bit arduous at times with the multitude of choices available.

Hardwood floors are a wonderful addition to any home, providing a look of warmth and comfort, and providing an appeal of anything from cozy country charm to fine elegance.

From One Type of Hardwood Floor to Another

There are a number of different types and styles of hardwood floors to choose from, which can present a rather arduous and often annoying task to some when opting for this type of flooring. Wide pine boards are the most popular type of hardwood floor today, primarily due to the variety of colors available.

If you are hoping for a rustic and rugged look, pine is a good type of hardwood floor for you. While oak is chosen for its durability, strength, and classic look, it is also the most expensive type of hardwood floor, and therefore you must first consider whether or not it is in your price range.

There are also parquet floors, which are different from the typical hardwood flooring options in that they are a set of small squares which are made of strips of wood in varying colors. The squares are then laid in a criss-cross type pattern, which gives the hardwood floor a checkered look for less formal settings.

There are four basic different types of hardwood flooring: engineered, solid, floating, and acrylic impregnated. Engineered consists of layers of wood pressed together and glued, with the grains running in different directions for added stability. Engineered hardwood flooring can be used in the areas of the house that solid wood flooring installation is not suitable.

In regards to solid hardwood flooring, this option gives you the ability to have a custom, one of a kind hardwood floor in any room in the house and it has many types of stains and finishes available to choose from.

Floating floors are either an engineered or a laminate floor which is not affixed to the sub floor. There is a thin, soft pad involved here, which protects against such things as moisture, and noise.

Acrylic impregnated is another form whose process is where acrylics are injected into the wood itself, creating an extremely hard and durable floor.

The reemergence of wood as a top decorating element has contributed to the popularity of hardwood floors. Many hardwood floors have a wax or polyurethane finish applied to the sanded wood. This brings out the natural color and grain of the wood. The color of the floors’ finish is determined by the type of wood with perhaps a little highlighting in the finish, and in such a popular decorating element, this can be limiting. In contrast, there is almost no such limit in a stained hardwood floor.

Stain, Not Plain

A stained hardwood floor can be the color of any type of wood. Walnut, ebony, dark Burmese teak, brown mahogany, red mahogany, dark oak are all available to enhance the beauty of a hardwood floor. Stain can even out the color of floor in different ways.

A new floor in the dining room, for instanced can be stained to resemble the classic floor in the living room. Stain can even out the color difference in old wood reclaimed from old barns or the demolition of an old home, bringing the best of aged wood to a new room.

An old floor after it is refinished can become a modern-looking, stained hardwood floor. A faded, silvery floor can become a deep cherry or mahogany floor for an elegant room.

Stained Hardwood Floor Care

Caring for your stained hardwood floor requires some level of vigilance. Remove dirt with a dust mop or vacuum before it is ground in and cause scratching. Protect your floor from losing its color to direct sunlight by closing shades, blinds or curtains on the windows that are most to blame.

Rugs should be placed in areas with high traffic such as hallways or in an area that may be prone to spills such as in front of the kitchen sink. There should also be a doormat at every entrance to the home.

Any water should be wiped up immediately from your stained hardwood floor. Allowed to stand, water can penetrate the finish and cause discoloration on the wood. When necessary, clean the surface of the floor using the type of cleaner that is right for the finish. Wax finishes shouldn’t be washed with cleaner containing vinegar while polyurethane finishes require vinegar.

A well-cared for stained hardwood floor can be re-stained in the future. Even staining is easier to strip off while spots with deeply absorbed stain will need more sanding, possibly endangering the floor itself.