There are many choices when selecting the right floor for the rooms in your home.
The most popular colors Include:
Red oak natural and maple natural with today's eclectic decoration styles, anything goes.
Darker colors - formal or traditional interiors.
Lighter colors - country, casual and contemporary settings.
There are many choices when selecting the right floor for the rooms in your home. There are several species, colors and grain variations to consider. Other than the walls, the floor represents the largest expanse of color or pattern in a room. Your floor should complement the fabrics, furnishings and accessories already present in the space, as well as enhance the unique personality of the room as a whole.
What about installing wood in high traffic areas like kitchens?
The urethane finishes on most new wood floors stand up to water and traffic, bringing wood flooring into bathrooms, kitchens, and other higher-stress areas. These finishes resist wear and stains better than other finishes and require no stripping, buffing or waxing. High traffic areas include exterior doorways, hallways, mud rooms, and the areas in front of the sink, stove and refrigerator. To protect the floor just inside exterior doorways, use walk-off mats or small rugs to catch tracked-in dirt and grime. Place small rugs or mats at other high traffic locations. Watch for grit or pebbles that might be brought in on waffle soles of athletic shoes and collect these with a hand-held cordless vacum. This should be done on a regular basis.
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 remodeling your kitchen, some products can be “floated” over most subfloors, including vinyl or ceramic tile, eliminating the mess and cost of tearing up the existing floor and installing a subfloor. Engineered products, which are dimensionally stable, are ideal for basements and can be nailed, glued or stapled down. Lasting Impressions Hardwood Flooring LLC can help you to determine the best method for your situation.
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How do I maintain my hardwood floors?
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Obtain care information from your wood floor installer/retailer. Know the type of finish on the wood floor. A majority of floors installed today have urethane finishes.
- Never wax a urethane floor.
- Never use sheet vinyl or tile floor care products on wood floors. Self-polishing acrylic waxes cause wood to become slippery and appear dull quickly. The only remedy in this situation is to sand and refinish the floor.
- Consult with an installer, the finisher or the manufacturer if there is any doubt of the kind of floor finish.
- Place mats and throw rugs at doorways, exteriors and interiors to help prevent the tracking of grit, dirt and sand.
- Sweep or vacuum wood floors regularly.
- Never wet-mop a wood floor. Standing water can dull the finish, damage the wood and leave a discoloring residue.
- Wipe up food and other spills immediately with a dry or slightly dampened towel (wipe dry).
- For a wax floor, buff to restore shine. You may want to invest in a buffer.
- Do not over-wax a wax floor. If the floor dulls, try buffing instead. Avoid wax buildup under furniture and other light traffic areas by applying wax in these spots every other waxing session.
- Put plastic or fabric-faced glides under the legs of furniture to prevent scuffing and scratching.
- Remember: cleats, sports shoes and high heels can dent any floor surface.
- When moving heavy furniture, protect wood flooring by slipping a piece of cloth or pile under the legs or covering each leg with a heavy sock or half of a milk carton.
- For wood flooring in the kitchen, place an area rug in front of the kitchen sink to catch water.
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