The Consumer's Guide to Wood Flooring in South Florida

"Buy Wood Flooring Where Your Builder Buys Wood Flooring"

It isn't a slogan at South Florida kitchen and Bath, it's good advice. In South Florida's current slow housing market, it's more important than ever to think about which home improvements will add value. Whether you're looking to sell or simply change your look for the future, a new hardwood floor is a great choice. For an experienced contractor, choosing the right flooring is simple. But for the average Do-it-yourselfer, the number of options can often be overwhelming. The following guide will help you find the perfect floor in South Florida.

Each wood flooring plank is as unique as the trees they come from

One of the things that makes wood floors so appealing is that each wood plank is as unique as the trees they come from and wood's natural textures and subtle shades add character and richness that can't be duplicated even by laminate flooring. Today, hardwood flooring is offered in both solid wood floors and a variety of engineered wood floors in both many North American hardwood species as well as many rich exotic hardwood species from around the World. This gives south florida homeowners the opportunity to express themselves like never before with their own unique decorating styles. See also: Types of Hardwood Floors to better understand the differences.

The key advantage of today’s laminate flooring is that it is quick and easy to install so it is perfect for people who like to “do it themselves”. Some of the best no longer requires glue to hold the planks or tiles in place. State of the art designs offer a click or snap together technology which means no fuss and no mess.

Once installed, you can place furniture in your rooms immediately and entertain that night. You can evenfind woodflooring that doesn’t require glue so even beginner “do- it - yourselfers” can quickly master the installation process. If you want great looking rooms consider installing real hardwood floors for a warm and cozy feeling.

New wood flooring wear layers are fantastic

Today’s laminate flooring is significantly more sophisticated than it was even 5 years ago. The colors and textures of the surface make it look and feel like real hardwood floors. Speaking of surface, the new wear layers are fantastic. They protect from scratches, dents, fading from the south florida sun and staining. The bestbrands come with warranties ranging from 15 years to the lifetime of the product. You can’t get better than that. When buying other woodflooring, make sure you check out the warranty so that you get what you need.

Engineered flooring is produced by adhering layers of real hardwood with a plywood backing. Since they are bonded together, this type of flooring is less likely to be affected by changes in high south florida humidity. Engineered wood floors make an excellent choice over concrete sub-floors, radiant heat or areas with higher moistures. Brands including Schon and Virginia Millworks carry a 30 year warranty, while Timber Top comes with a 15 year warranty. Less expensive types of hardwood flooring are layered, the top layer being finished wood and the sub layers, composites. This factory-produced wood is generally not as thick and solid as plank wood and can show wear over time.

.The purchase price of most engineered hardwood flooring is generally much higher than that of prefinished solid hardwood flooring. Laminated flooring is a major investment, given its service life, and should be installed in areas where you want to enjoy the warmth of real wood but limitations make the installation of solid harwood floor impossible.

There are generally two types of hardwood floors. Solid flooring is a single piece of wood which can be re-sanded to change finishes. Engineered is made of three to five layered pieces of wood bonded together. Engineered looks like solid wood, but is actually considered to be structurally more stable and can be used in places with moistures problems such as south florida.

Consider a synthetic floor if you're aware of humidity and moisture problems

Moisture tends to come up in conversation when discussing the pros and cons of hardwood floors as moisture can wreak havoc on wood floors. We suggest considering a synthetic floor if you're aware of humidity and moisture problems in your home or office. That's also why spills can be an issue and why mopping is not the proper method of cleaning hardwood floors. To protect your hardwood floors, consult your manufacturer to make sure you're using appropriate products and methods.

The care of wood floors has also changed a great deal from years past. Due to environmental laws around the country, wood floor finishes with high Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have been virtually eliminated. Today most people use water-based urethanes to protect their floors. This process is more expensive, but it offers fewer risks to the health of those handling the materials.

Visit our website at southfloridakitchenandbath.com for further information.