How to narrow down your flooring choice
The optimal hardwood flooring choice for
your unique space will depend on several key
factors that you will need to consider
carefully.
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Situational factors
These factors involve the physical space where
your flooring will be installed. There may be
certain physical limitations to what type of floor
you can install - just remember that every space has
unique requirements.
Expected traffic
The amount of traffic and wear you are expecting
for the space will effect your flooring choices.
Laminate flooring is best for extreme traffic
situations, as well as bamboo and harder species of
hardwoods are also acceptable. If you have pets and
children, laminate floors are an excellent choice.
With lower traffic situations you don't need to be
as concerned about the type of flooring material.
Sub flooring
Your finished floor will only be as good as the
sub floor - it should be flat, level, and dry. Strip
hardwood flooring requires a sub floor that accepts
nails - ideally plywood or tongue and groove
planking. If you have a concrete sub floor then
you'll need to consider a floating floor system of
laminate or engineered hardwoods.
Grade level of floor
The floor level where you are installing your new
floors will impact your flooring selection. Below
grade installations (basement), will usually require
floating laminate installations due to the concrete
slab and moisture issues. On grade (ground level)
levels are the most rigid and stable sub floors are
ideal to accept any type of flooring. On grade
floors are optimal for strip hardwood flooring that
requires a nailing installation and rigid sub floor.
Above grade floors (floors above ground level) tend
to be less rigid, and are again best suited for a
floating floor system.
Temperature and humidity
To prevent future warping and cupping of floors
make sure there is adequate ventilation and
regulated temperatures thought the year. Bamboos,
laminates, and engineered hardwood planks expand and
contract less and are better solutions for areas
that experience temperature fluctuations. Laminates
are the best solution for areas that experience
higher levels of humidity and moisture.
Budget constraints
Laminate flooring has the greatest versatility
and choice of colors to select from, and also is one
of the more economical solutions.
Manufacturer selection criteria
These decision factors focus on the actual
flooring product and what is best for your
particular needs.
Ease of installation
The time and cost of installation is an often
overlooked factor in floor selection decisions.
Glueless click-style floating laminate floor systems
are the easiest to install and are within the
capabilities of most weekend do-it-yourselfers.
Obviously the size and scope of the installation
will also effect your decision. Glue down and nail
down flooring does require more expertise and time,
and is usually not a typical do-it-yourself project.
Warranty
In many cases, the warranty provided with the
floors is not worth the paper it is written on, as
many warranty claims are denied based on poor
installation workmanship and normal wear and tear.
Still, there is something to be said for dealing
with an established brand with a decent track record
of customer service. You may pay a few cents more
per square foot for an established brand, but
chances are it will be worth it. Assuming the
manufacturer has been in the business for a while,
generally the longer the warranty provided, the
better the product.
Quality of hardwood construction
Solid hardwood planks are ranked on the quality
and grade of the species, and the milling and
finishing of the planks. The Wood Flooring
Manufactures Association has a detailed wood species
grading system to assure quality, which can
basically be simplified to read "the clearer the
wood grain, the higher the quality cut". Its all
about the look, the more knots and characteristics
in the wood, the lower the grade of that species.
Quality of laminate engineering
Assessment of quality laminate flooring is a
completely different. You'll need to assess the
locking mechanism carefully - it should be seamless,
moisture-resistant, and sturdy. Thicker
tongue-and-groove joints provide better stability as
do isometric locks which have 2 locking joints that
put counter pressure on each other when joined to
provide maximum joint stability. It is important to
look for a laminate floor that has a strong and
durable core material, generally thicker is better.
Quality laminate flooring has moisture resistant
sealed backing and durable scratch resistant wear
layers.
Proceed to STEP 3 - selecting a brand |
