Hardwood Flooring Basics
Hardwood flooring has become a very popular flooring option within the last few years. This popularity has multiplied the number of flooring brands and options available. The Remod Squad® understands that differentiating between hardwood flooring products has become increasingly difficult because of this expansion. The following is a guide to help you understand the different classifications of flooring products available.
Wood flooring can be divided into two basic categories: engineered and solid. Both engineered and solid wood flooring are available in pre–finished or site-finished options.
Engineered vs. Solid Hardwood Flooring
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Engineered flooring consists of three or more separate layers of wood glued together to make a thicker strip. Sometimes, people refer to this process as "veneered," but that term is inaccurate and is a furniture term. The three or more "plies" of wood that make up the floor are put together in a "cross-ply" construction, which makes the boards more moisture stable (resistant to expansion and contraction). Because of this, engineered wood floors can be used in virtually all applications: above grade, on grade, and below grade. Most engineer floors are about 3/8" to 7/16" thick. They can be nailed, stapled, or glued. In most cases, the engineered products are only available pre–finished, but some can be sanded and site-finished. Engineered flooring consists of strips in random lengths as well as "floating" boards that are wider. Scherer Brothers offers these products from several major manufacturers. One advantage of engineered flooring is that you have more flexibility in terms of where you can install them. Disadvantages are more related to the issues involved with pre–finished color limitations. Otherwise, the product solves a lot of problems and is ideally suited for remodeling projects.
Solid Hardwood Flooring
Solid wood flooring is typically 3/4" thick, comes in random lengths, and is milled with a tongue on one side of the strips and a groove on the other side. These elements interlock when nailed to the sub-floor and create a dimensionally stable floor system. Solid wood flooring can generally be installed by nailing to a wood sub-floor. Because it is nailed and is sensitive to moisture extremes, solid wood flooring should usually be installed in above-grade applications (not in basements or on concrete slabs). Solid wood flooring is available with a factory-applied finish, "pre–finished", or may be "site-finished" after being installed. Both finish options have their respective benefits.
Pre–finished vs. Site-finished Hardwood Flooring
Pre–finished Hardwood Flooring
Pre–finished floors have an advantage in that the finish is applied in a climate-controlled, factory environment. Typically, this involves automated machinery that sprays several thin coats of finish to the wood with ultraviolet lighting exposure that cures each coat between applications. Many of today's pre–finished products have an additional component added to the finish that increases the abrasive resistance. Aluminum oxide is the most-used finish supplement. Pre–finished floors are a rapidly growing segment of the total wood flooring market in the United States. One of the drawbacks to pre–finished wood floors is that they usually have beveled edges to allow for any inconsistencies in the sub-floor and the flooring itself. This helps to minimize sharp edges that would otherwise be apparent. Some people object to the bevels as unattractive or potential obstacles to sweeping and mopping. While the manufacturers are offering more color choices every year, there are limitations to the number of colors available, and custom colors are difficult to obtain.
Site-finished Hardwood Flooring
Site-finished floors are what Scherer Brothers Wood Floors provides the most to its customers. There are some distinct advantages to finishing floors on site. When a solid floor is installed, there are many height variations from board-to-board. This is caused by sub-floor unevenness, milling tolerances, and expansion/contraction of the wood (nature at work). Then the process of sanding and finishing begins. Several sanding passes are made before finish coats are applied. Most site-finished floors consist of three coats of polyurethane, applied over several days. The advantage in this method is that the joints between the boards have been sanded to the same height, minimizing the sharp edges or "over wood." Additionally, in-floor air vents from furnaces and air conditioning systems can be installed with the floor, integrated, and custom-finished at the same height as the floor. Custom stain colors can be applied to match other items within the home such as millwork, trim, doors, cabinets, etc. One significant disadvantage of site-finishing is that it requires several steps to complete the installation, sanding, and finishing process. Also the job-site must be dust-free to ensure there are no contaminates in the finish. In new construction, this requires more organization on the part of job scheduling from both installers and builders.
Posted on January 17, 2007 at 4:14 PM
