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Can hardwood flooring be installed over concrete?

Floorecki — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 22:47:30 +0000

Yes, hardwood flooring can be installed over concrete, but it requires some preparation and special considerations. Here are some things to keep in mind if you’re planning to install hardwood flooring over concrete:

Moisture: Concrete can be a source of moisture, so it’s important to test the moisture level of the concrete before installing hardwood flooring. If the moisture level is too high, it can cause the wood to warp and buckle over time. A moisture barrier, such as a plastic sheet or specialized underlayment, can be installed between the concrete and the hardwood flooring to help prevent moisture issues.
Subfloor: A subfloor is typically required when installing hardwood flooring over concrete. The subfloor provides a stable base for the hardwood flooring to be installed on. Plywood is commonly used as a subfloor material, and it should be at least 3/4 inch thick to provide the necessary support.
Adhesive: Hardwood flooring can be glued directly to the concrete subfloor using a specialized flooring adhesive. This method is often used for engineered hardwood flooring, which is designed to withstand changes in temperature and moisture levels. Solid hardwood flooring can also be glued to the subfloor, but it’s important to choose a high-quality adhesive that’s compatible with both the wood and the concrete.
Floating Floor: Another option for installing hardwood flooring over concrete is a floating floor. A floating floor is not attached to the subfloor but rather interlocks with itself to create a stable base. This method requires a specialized underlayment to be installed over the concrete before the hardwood flooring is laid down.

In summary, yes, hardwood flooring can be installed over concrete, but it requires some special considerations and preparation. Consult with a professional flooring installer to determine the best method for installing hardwood flooring over concrete in your specific situation.

When it comes to installing hardwood flooring over concrete, engineered hardwood is generally considered to be the best option. Engineered hardwood is designed to withstand changes in temperature and moisture levels, making it more stable than solid hardwood. Here are some of the best hardwood options for installing over concrete:

Hickory: Hickory is a durable hardwood that is known for its strength and resistance to wear and tear. It’s also a popular choice for engineered hardwood because of its stability.
Oak: Oak is a classic hardwood flooring option that is available in both solid and engineered forms. It’s known for its durability and resistance to wear and tear, and it can be stained in a variety of colors to match any decor.
Maple: Maple is a lighter-colored hardwood that is known for its strength and durability. It’s also a good choice for engineered hardwood because it resists shrinkage and expansion caused by changes in temperature and humidity.
Walnut: Walnut is a popular hardwood flooring option because of its rich, dark color and unique grain patterns. It’s also a good choice for engineered hardwood because it resists warping and buckling over time.
Acacia: Acacia is a newer hardwood flooring option that has gained popularity in recent years. It’s known for its durability and resistance to wear and tear, and it can be a good choice for engineered hardwood because it resists changes in temperature and moisture levels.

When choosing a hardwood for installing over concrete, it’s important to consider factors such as the amount of foot traffic the flooring will receive, the overall aesthetic you’re trying to achieve, and the climate in your area. Consulting with a professional flooring installer can help you choose the best hardwood flooring option for your specific needs and preferences.

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Is hardwood flooring durable?

Floorecki — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 22:40:58 +0000

Yes, hardwood flooring is generally considered to be a durable flooring option. Hardwood floors are made from natural wood, which is a strong and resilient material. When properly maintained, hardwood flooring can last for decades or even a century.

However, the durability of hardwood flooring can vary depending on several factors, such as the type of wood, the quality of the wood, and the finish used on the flooring. Some hardwoods, such as oak and maple, are known for their durability and strength, while others, such as pine, may be softer and more prone to wear and tear. Higher quality wood is less likely to have knots or imperfections that can weaken the wood over time.

In addition to the type and quality of wood, the finish used on hardwood flooring can also impact its durability. The finish helps to protect the wood from scratches, dents, and other types of damage. Choosing a high-quality finish and properly maintaining it can help to extend the lifespan of the flooring.

Proper maintenance is essential for keeping hardwood flooring durable over time. This includes regularly cleaning the flooring to remove dirt and debris that can scratch the wood, promptly addressing spills and stains to prevent them from seeping into the wood, and using furniture pads to prevent scratches and dents from heavy furniture. Refinishing the flooring every 10 to 15 years can also help to keep it looking like new.

Overall, while the durability of hardwood flooring can vary depending on several factors, when properly maintained, hardwood flooring is a durable and long-lasting option for homeowners.

Here are some of the most durable hardwood floor types to consider:

Brazilian Cherry: Also known as Jatoba, Brazilian Cherry is one of the hardest and most durable hardwoods available. It has a Janka hardness rating of 2350, making it extremely resistant to wear and tear.
Hard Maple: Hard Maple has a Janka hardness rating of 1450, which makes it one of the most durable hardwoods available. It is also known for its light color and fine texture.
Hickory: Hickory is another extremely durable hardwood with a Janka hardness rating of 1820. It is known for its natural beauty and unique grain patterns.
White Oak: White Oak is a popular hardwood flooring option because of its durability and resistance to wear and tear. It has a Janka hardness rating of 1360 and is available in a variety of finishes.
Red Oak: Red Oak is another durable hardwood with a Janka hardness rating of 1290. It is known for its distinctive grain patterns and warm, reddish color.
Walnut: Although not as hard as some other hardwoods, Walnut is still a durable option for hardwood flooring. It has a Janka hardness rating of 1010 and is known for its rich, dark color and fine texture.

When selecting a hardwood floor type, it’s important to consider factors such as the amount of foot traffic the flooring will receive, as well as the overall aesthetic you’re trying to achieve. Consulting with a professional flooring installer can help you choose the best hardwood floor type for your specific needs and preferences.

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Prefinished Vs Unfinished Wood

Floorecki — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 17:26:32 +0000

Choosing the type of hardwood flooring which will be perfect for your home can seem straightforward yet it’s an important decision any homeowner will have to make when committing to any and every renovation they plan. Many of our customers wonder if prefinished or unfinished wood is a better fit for their home project, but honestly both have their advantages!

Advantages of Prefinished Flooring

Time

Prefinished flooring is almost ready for your room to be installed by our professional staff. It is pre-sanded, stained and coated with varnish done right at the factory. The installation is the only thing that the homeowner needs to think about. Whereas, the unfinished hardwood flooring comes raw, so it does need to be finished on site after the installation is done. There is no denying that prefinished flooring is a much faster process that doesn’t involve any sanding or coating. Once prefinished flooring is installed, furniture can be moved back in its place almost immediately, and the floor is ready to be walked over and enjoyed by you and your family in almost no time. On the flip side unfinished hardwood floors do need to be sanded, stained and coated, which can take a bit more time but with other advantages you will need to take into consideration before making your final choice. With all of this in mind, planning ahead is crucial!

Less Mess /No Smell

Prefinished flooring is almost dustless and there are no added chemical smells brought into your home during installation. The material has already been treated in the factory and once the stain is sealed at the factory, ventilation is not an important aspect needed to consider for the installation process. Before the need for staining and sealing, sanding unfinished floors does create dust even though there are vacuums hooked to the machines.

Cost

Prefinished hardwood flooring labor cost is cheaper than installing/refinishing unfinished wood. Although prefinished flooring material may cost more than unfinished, the labor costs are reduced.

Advantages of Unfinished Flooring

Appearance/ Options

Unfinished flooring happens to have more grain patterns, even though prefinished flooring is usually real wood. Prefinished wood comes with a protective surface layer that makes it look less like the real thing. The beauty of unfinished wood is that it can be personalized to your preference. Our qualified professional craftsman rather than the factory will create unusual textures on different types of wood to your liking. In addition, the stains can be mixed (must be from the same manufacturer), varnished with oil-based or water-based finish and styled with sheen level: matte, satin, semi-gloss or glossy. All of this is done by hand to make the floor exactly as you always wished for.

Matching Made Easy

Many of our customers decide to get their floors done for each room separately at different times. This is usually preferred either to have a space to store the furniture (during refinishing) or a particular material is more cost-effective at a given time of the year. The beauty of unfinished hardwood is that it can be added to your room to be matched with existing hardwood flooring at any time; even if a previously purchased option is no longer available.

Cleaning

The grooves of a prefinished floor create gaps that trap dirt easily, which makes it harder to clean. Rather than cleaning a finished onsite floor which is mostly flat.

Repairs/Refinishing

A finished hardwood onsite can be refinished to remove any dents or scratches, while prefinished damaged planks would need to be replaced by the factory making it hard to match on site. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to store the extra boxes of flooring, since the prefinished products are often custom ordered and can get discontinued. The daily use of flooring will result in normal wear and tear and also with anything; scratches. Un-finished wood can be fixed/restored onsite multiple times before the damaged material is actually seen as a problem. Prefinished floors can only be sanded once or twice over the span of their lifetime due to thicker polyurethane layers applied by the factory. This results in deep sanding, especially to match stain from the edges as well as doubled labor costs.

Our company works with both types of flooring, and it usually boils down to you to decide which option suits your situation best during renovation. We’re always here to help with that decision!

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Oil Based vs. Water Based Floor Finish

Floorecki — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 22:25:09 +0000

When it comes to finishing products for hardwood floors we recommend either 2 coats of oil based polyurethane or 3 coats of water based floor finish. The question then arises: “Which one is better?”. Oil Based vs. Water Based Floor Finish? Both oil based and water based polyurethanes are equally durable when it comes to protecting hardwood floors from everyday wear and tear. The finish gives the floor its color and luster so this becomes a personal preference.

COLOR:

The appearance is the biggest difference between oil and water based polyurethane. Oil based polyurethane has an amber appearance, a medium to dark brownish-yellow color which will darken over time. The water based polyurethane has a lighter appearance and remains clear.

SMELL:

Another major factor to consider when choosing the surface finish is the smell. Oil based polyurethane gives off powerful fumes that should not be inhaled. For this reason we recommend that the costumer along with pets stay out of the house while refinishing the floors. Water based polyurethane has less of an offensive odor by comparison and it’s safer for customers and pets when applying the finishing coats indoors.

DRYING TIME:

The curing time for oil based polyurethane takes 24-48 hours before it would be safe to walk on with socks on. Whereas the water based polyurethane is safe to walk on with socks on after 4 hours. However, we recommend waiting 3-4 days before moving furniture back on to the floor to avoid any scratches. The same time frame applies when it comes to allowing pets to walk on the surface

THICKNESS AND HARDNESS:

Another quite important factor is the thickness and hardness of each surface finish. The oil based polyurethane is thicker and softer, whereas the water based product is thinner but harder. We suggest applying 2 coats of oil based polyurethane because it’s more vulnerable to incur dents, and 3 coats of water based because it’s more likely to scratch.

COST:

Our company uses top grade products for commercial water based polyurethane BONA Traffic HD which can be twice as expensive as the oil. Therefore, it’s usually a $1 more per square foot and is mostly used when a natural look is required or for grey or white washed floors. The oil base polyurethane our company uses is Masterline and Bona Woodline.

SUMMARY:

As stated before, choosing the floor finish is a personal preference and the finished look can be a deal breaker. The other factors are just as important when deciding on the finish. Our company always achieves excellent results whether coating with oil based or water based polyurethane.

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