With wooden flooring you can relax knowing that as an investment it is going to last a life time. When other financial plans fall short and banks cry out for help, there is no doubt that the wooden floors you’ve installed and properly maintained will look and feel gorgeous for years.
The feel of your flooring
Wooden Flooring can be treated with a wide range of different oils, lacquers and waxes in an effort to change its look and feel in accordance with what the customer wants. The majority of wood floors are finished with lacquer. The appearance of lacquered wood flooring is that of an apparent sheen, with characteristic smoothness. Oiled floors (wax/wood oil) absorb the oil into the top layer of the wood, and, (after a wax finish) generally have a more ‘damp’ sheen than the lacquer variants.
Which grade of wood should you choose?
When deciding on the wood for your floor, you will find yourself offered woods from different ”grades” or quality. Regardless of what grade you choose, the floor is going to last for the same length of time, and the grade is much more about a different look than anything else. The grading system is a universal one, and is used throughout the country. The most cost-effective grade is the Rustic grade. The colour of the wood may not be consistent and there might be a few knots showing up here and there. Some customers actively try to find the Rustic grade, because they want the uneven, more natural look and feel a Rustic grade floor gives. For all those customers that don’t have budget constraints and are wanting a uniform looking floor that’s 100% perfect in appearance, then they’re going to be looking for a Select grade of wood. Choosing a Select grade comes with a guarantee that the colour variation is consistent and there are no knots or pattern changes whatsoever.
Choosing the right type of timber
Floors experience plenty of traffic and often bear pretty heavy loads; which means the best timber is going to be a hardwood, such as oak or perhaps beechwood, instead of a softwood variety, such as pine. This is for the obvious reason that some sort of softwood timber wouldn’t be able to stand the test of time, and is simply not strong enough to do the job of a hard-wearing floor.
Hardwood floor routine maintenance
Wooden Flooring can be looked after and cleaned pretty easily. As with any other surface in a person’s home that’s cleaned with a cloth or mop, the wood floor can be cleaned in much the same way. It’s recommended that cleaners try to adhere to the use of non-solvent based cleaning liquids (and polishes), because the lacquer on the floor may be susceptible to corrosion or degradation if ‘attacked’ by solvents for a prolonged period. Oiled floors require a “top up” of oil on a biannual basis. The oil may be applied with a cloth and just rubbed in lightly all over. It’s recommended that owners use natural wood oils rather than cheaper chemical-based alternatives.
A long-term investment?
Excellent quality hard wood floors are certainly a wise investment which will continue to increase the value of your property year after year. With the proper care and the correct maintenance, your wooden flooring will last a lifetime. Individuals who built houses in the Victorian era and before didn’t install wooden floors purely for their aesthetic value. In those days, most things were done because of necessity, and wooden floors were and continue to be a perfect year-round choice, expanding in the summer season and contracting in winter. Recycled wood floors are always in demand, as wood floors hardly ever get discarded and will be used again and again.
Health benefits
Wooden Floors, it has been proven, are much healthier than using rugs and carpets around your residence. A wood floor cleans much more easily than carpet, plus its oils contain anti-bacterial properties. Carpets and rugs, however, are known to retain dust (and dust mites) which could irritate individuals with asthma. Greenpeace (among others) endorse wooden floors. Studies have indicated that carpeted floors can harbour 10,000 to 100,000 dust mites in a square metre. Carpets also collect waste materials from pets, all kinds of waste walked in from outside, and generally harmful dust which has settled with time.
