Hardwood Flooring and Humidity 101
How Does Humidity Affect Hardwood? Extreme humidity will impact the wood’s integrity as hardwood flooring is a natural product. If the air is very humid, the planks of flooring will start to absorb some of the moisture and will consequently expand. If there are low levels of humidity, the planks of flooring will start to dry out and shrink. However, minimal fluctuations in the humidity will not impact your hardwood, as it is natural for it to contract and expand with variations in the weather. The Expansion Gap An expansion gap is an essential gap that must be left around the edge of the room when fitting hardwood flooring. The gap should be around the whole perimeter of the room wherever the flooring may be against fixed objects, such as doorways, radiator pipes, fireplaces, and walls. The space between planks will allow for natural expansion and contraction into the gap without causing any distortion or damage to your hardwood flooring itself. If no expansion gap has been left, when a floor naturally expands, it will have nowhere to go and will raise up and deform the wood planks. What Size Expansion Gap Do You Need? An expansion gap of between 12mm to 15mm is required for standard sized areas. To ensure the adequate sized expansion gap is left, flooring spacers can be used during installation. They are removed once the installation process is complete. The Flooring Spacers For larger rooms with […]
Installation of Hardwood Floor – Can I Do It Myself?
As much as you can get excited when refurbishing your home or workplace, in the beginning of the process, you often feel as if you can do much of the work by yourself and even save some money (not time, though) throughout the phases. Relying on themselves is how people often feel more confident or safe […]
Create a Rustic Ambience with Hardwood Floors
While a smooth and evenly stained wood in matte finish is perfect for the minimalist or modern style lovers, there are those that romanticize wood as a medium for creating a rustic, cozy, nostalgic allure in their home. Imperfection is Perfection The appeal of a smooth solid wood surface, although popular, is not always preferred […]
Hardwood Flooring Room by Room: The Living Room
Living Room and Hardwood Flooring Living rooms are a great place for hardwood flooring. They’re not generally prone to getting a lot of moisture or heat, and tend to have less foot traffic than other rooms in the house, since most folks like to sit and relax there. That makes them ideal for a vast […]
Hardwood Flooring In The Kitchen
Hardwood Flooring in the Kitchen Hardwood floors have a timeless warmth and beauty that adds a rustic old-world quality to any room. But how do they hold up in the kitchen? Let’s find out. What type of a hardwood floor is best for your kitchen? Common Wood Species The term hardwood is a bit of a […]
Darkening and Fading Hardwood Floors
You’ve chosen the perfect color and shade of hardwood for your home, but after several months, you see the hue has deepened or lightened. This mostly happens when the sun hits your floor, as is the case in sunny Colorado during spring and summer months. As a natural material, wood reacts to the sun in its […]
Mixing Different Types of Hardwood Floors
Sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you want to use more than one type of hardwood in your home. For example, if the living room is already layered with a great hardwood floor but you dislike the floor in the entrance hallway or the dining area, it is logical to decide that a […]
Acoustic Properties of Hardwood Floors
The optimal sound quality of your home may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when you are moving in, but then sooner or later, you will become aware of its importance. Footsteps, heels, echoes from the TV, or any other unwanted reverberation of sound may disturb your comfort at home. There are […]
How Much Hardwood Do You Need for Your Flooring?
If you are moving into a new home and decide to change the flooring and install hardwood floors, you will need to order a certain amount of those beautiful planks. But how do you know exactly how much hardwood to order for flooring? You will probably hear various stories from several people. Your neighbor might […]
The Right Shade and Color for Your Hardwood Floor
The range of color and texture of hardwood floors is so vast today that though some designers welcome the variety, others are left overwhelmed and confused when there’s a decision to be made about their flooring. So what makes the right shade and color for your hardwood floor? Choosing the right shade for your hardwood floors […]