- What
is the difference between Solid, Engineered, and Laminate
Flooring?
- What
are the different types of Finishes?
- What
is a floating floor and are there any benefits?
- My
floor is cupping or my floor has gaps. Is it defective?
- Why
Wood Floors?
1.
Question: What is the difference between Solid, Engineered,
and Laminate Flooring?
Solid Flooring
Wood Flooring regardless of width or length that is one piece
of wood top to bottom is considered solid. Solid flooring
gives you a great opportunity to customize any room. Your
choice of species, stain color, and finishes all contribute
to the personalization of a solid floor. Solid floors can
be re-stained numerous times and will last a lifetime.
Engineered Flooring
This product consists of layers of wood pressed together and
is most commonly as 3, 5, or 7 ply. Engineered flooring is
perfect for certain application most commonly used over concrete
slab and in areas on or near the coast. Because the grains
of the ply's run in different directions it is more dimensionally
stable. Most engineered floors can also be sanded and refinished
up to two times.
Laminates
Laminate flooring, like Pergo, are referred to as high pressure
laminates and are actually more like a vinyl floor than they
are a hardwood. They are essentially a digitally created photograph
of a wood floor on top of a high density fiberboard. They
have good short term wear characteristic but unlike real wood
they are disposable type floors. If you wear them out, you
throw them out.
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2.
Question: What are the different types of Finishes?
Surface
Finishes
Lasting beauty requires minimal care with todays wood floor
finishes. These finishes are usually urethanes that remain
on the surface of the wood and form a protective coating.
Surface finishes are popular today because they are durable,
water resistant and require minimal maintenance. Various gloss
levels are available. Oil modified urethane and water base
urethane are most commonly used.
Oil Modified is a solvent base polyurethane that takes 12
- 24 hours to dry. This type of finish will amber over time.
Water Based Urethane finishes are clear and non yellowish.
They have milder odor and dry in about 2 to 3 hours. Penetrating
Stain and Wax is a finish that soaks into the pores of the
wood and hardens to form a protective penetrating seale.
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3.
Question: What is a floating floor and are there any benefits?
A
floating floor is exactly that, floating. While most floors
are gluedor nailed, floating floors are installed over a polyfelt
or foamunderlayment with a plastic moisture barrier. They
are attached together by gluing the tongue and grove along
the sides. Floating floors have a softer feel the them and
because they do not come directly in contact with the sub
floor, they won't be affected by moisture in the slab. This
application works well below grade or where moisture might
be a problemr.
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4.
Question: My floor is cupping or my floor has gaps. Is it
defective?
Cupping
and shrinking are directly related to moisture content in
your wood floor. Here in San Diego with our heavy marine layer
and our occasional Santa Ana's, there may be a large swing
in the relative humidity of a home. Cupping is the result
of expansion of each board caused by excessive moisture. High
humidity, wet moping and water leaks are the most common.
Shrinking or gaps in your floor are caused by lack of moisture.
Simply dry weather or running your heater non-stop can cause
the humidity level in your home to drop, which will cause
small gaps in your floor. Some expansion and contraction is
normal, especially here in southern California. The relative
humidity of a home should be kept between 40 and 55%.
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5.
Question: Why Wood Floors?
Benefits
No other flooring offers the warmth, beauty and value of wood.
Wood flooring enhances the decor of any room and will increase
the value throughout the years.
Ease of Maintenance
Maintenance of todays wood floors if easy! Regular cleaning
takes little more than sweeping and or vacuuming, with the
occasional use of a professional wood floor cleaning product.
Variety
Wood Floors have come a long way in the past few years. Today
there are more styles, colors and species of wood flooring
available than ever before. Todays wood floors come in over
50 species, both domestic and exotic, spanning the spectrum
of color options, hardness and price ranges.
Affordable
Wood floors maintain their value. When other flooring options
are looking tired and worn out, wood floors will still look
beautiful and timeless.
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