Thursday, December 15, 2011

Wood Flooring - Tips on Styles and Installation

Hard wood has been the flooring choice for a long time and for good reason. It's not only aesthetically beautiful but it's also durable and matches a wide range of decors. Because of this, installing a wood floor will increase the value of your home. Here is an overview on the types of wood flooring and their installation.

Wood flooring comes in a variety of types from a fine grain bamboo to rich mahogany. They also come in a variety of finishes and stains or they can be purchased unfinished so you can choose the stain and amount of luster. Pre-finished floors are more popular since they are easier to install but they are more expensive.

SHEETROCK PRICES

There are also a variety of styles which will not only determine the appearance of your flooring but also the ease of installation. Plank style flooring is faster to install than most other styles. The pieces are wide and resemble strips of wood laid side-by-side. There is also a strip style of wooden flooring which is smaller than plank and therefore helps the room look larger. Parquet flooring is the most decorative but requires the most work. The pieces are either nailed or glued to the subfloor in a geometric pattern to resemble a tile floor. Solid flooring is a custom made floor and is not usually for the do-it-yourself handyman.

Instructions for installing a wood floor can be found for free on the internet or for sale at most home improvement stores. Here is a basic overview of wood floor installation.

You may want to consider repairing any drywall necessary before starting on your floor.

Properly measure out the room you will be installing the flooring. Give yourself an additional 5 to 10 percent for waste. Remove the baseboards and any trim and set them aside so you can reinstall them after the floor is in place. Make sure the subfloor is level; use asphalt tiles to level out any uneven areas. Lay special subfloor paper before installing the wood flooring to prevent squeaking.

Layout your wood flooring pieces starting in the center and working out. You will need a power saw to shape corners and edges. Make sure your seams are staggered. If you're nailing, make sure the nails go through the subfloor and into the joists.

Once you're done installing the floor you'll need to sand and finish the floor. Make sure you sand it evenly so don't sand too long in one place. Sanders can be rented from a home improvement store. Finish the floor with a varnish, wax or polyurethane. Ensure the finish is completely dry before walking on it or placing furniture on it.

Maintenance of your floor depends on the finish so follow the manufactures recommendation. Don't allow water to pool as this can seep in and damage the wood.

Wood Flooring - Tips on Styles and Installation

Peter Mason's online reports are found on many web sites associated with drywall lift and using drywall stilts. His abstracts on drywall stilts can be discovered on his webpage as well as many different online sites.

SHEETROCK PRICES

0 comments:

Post a Comment